Capital Fall 2016

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FINANCIAL PROFILES

PLUS: LIVING GREEN

Capital FA L L 2 0 1 6

HOW VICTORIA WORKS

THE SHIFTING BUSINESS OF DEALING WITH DEATH

Why funerals are different now

RESTAURATEUR CLIFF LEIR’S WILD TRIP DESIGN: CRAZY FOR KILTS WILD SIDE: EXOTIC MEATS CITYSCAPE Who’s building what, where

Q&A WITH KERRI MILTON New executive director of the Downtown Victoria Business Association

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height adjustable desks encourage frequent posture changes to provide healthier and more productive work environments. www.graphicoffice.com R

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FANFARE •

DAVE OBEE

Come and join us for an inspiring ride into Victoria’s future

I am as keen about history as anyone, but let there be no doubt: When it comes to capital (as in money) and Capital (as in this magazine) the future is what matters.

In business, we always need to look ahead. We always need to look for new ways to serve our customers, and new ways to do what we have been doing for years. Innovation counts; without it, a business stagnates and, eventually, sinks.

Technology has brought massive changes to the way business works. That is hardly news, since technology has been reshaping business for centuries. The difference today is the speed of the transformation. Technology builds on technology; innovation builds on innovation. Two great ideas become one and the ground shifts. One person’s idea is embraced by another person, and used in a way that the first person could never have imagined.

The Internet is old news. The cloud is old news as well. Going mobile is, well, yawn. Yesterday’s game-changer was irrelevant by noon today. The best thing about today’s technology? Innovation does not need to have a big price tag. The worst thing? Your competitors know that, too.

Businesses need to evolve, try new ideas, and do things differently. The Times Colonist is more than a century and a half old, older than our city, our province and our nation, but we will not rest on our laurels. Capital is part of our commitment to meet the changing needs of our readers. In this issue, we honour some established businesses that have reached important milestones. Those businesses would not have survived if they had not been flexible and innovative.

All that said, the basics still matter, and innovation can come in many different ways. Consider the funeral industry – which, it could be argued, is one of the oldest businesses on the planet. Things have changed, the old ways are gone, and Greater Victoria is setting an example for the rest of the country.

That should not be a surprise. Bright minds live here. Creative people thrive here. Passionate innovators, people committed to making this world a better place, have made their homes here.

Let’s celebrate the energy and ideas that are in our midst, and reach even higher.

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38 Cliff Leir is a self-taught baker and restaurateur behind two of the city’s most popular eateries — Fol Epi bakery and Agrius restaurant. DARREN STONE PHOTO

10 Companies in the funeral business

are shifting to more personalized services.

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Meet a Victoria couple who believe design really has to have the human touch.

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Python anyone? How about cubed crocodile?

The world of exotic meats has arrived.

Buzz, A6 / Cityscape, 40 / Victoria’s kiltmakers, 45 Social Scene, 60 / Jack Knox, 65 / Parting shot, 66

Capital DAVE OBEE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DARRON KLOSTER EDITOR ROGER WHITE DESIGN EDITOR DAVID WHITMAN ADVERTISING DIRECTOR JASON SCRIVEN SALES MANAGER WENDY KALO ADVERTISING OPERATIONS MANAGER

COVER PHOTO: Kerri Milton is the new executive director of the Downtown Victoria Business Association, succeeding Ken Kelly who held the post for 12 years.

DARREN STONE PHOTO

Capital is published by the Times Colonist, a division of TC Publication Limited Partnership, at 2621 Douglas St., Victoria, British Columbia V8T 4M2. Canadian Publications Registration No. 0530646. GST No. 84505 1507 RT0001 Please send comments about Capital to: Editor-in-Chief Dave Obee, dobee@timescolonist.com To advertise in the next edition, phone 250-995-4464, or email Sales Manager Jason Scriven at jscriven@timescolonist.com

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BUZZ What’s brewing at Caledonian

Conservatory of Music gets a new director

APPOINTMENTS

Camille Cuthill is the new director of development at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. She was formerly vicepresident of philanthropy at the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Calgary. Cuthill has held numerous senior-level development positions in the health-care, education and social services not-for-profit charitable sector, including the University of Victoria, Royal B.C. Museum, Ketchum Canada, B.C. Cancer Foundation, B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation, University of British Columbia, Canadian Red Cross Society and the St. Vincent’s Hospital Foundation. Cuthill succeeds Tara Sudbury, who served in this position for the past 2 1⁄2 years.

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Patrick Nangle leads member-owned car-sharing pioneer Modo.

Former CEO of Purolator takes the wheel at Modo Patrick Nangle has been named CEO of member-owned car-sharing pioneer Modo. Nangle brings more than 20 years of executive leadership, with international and Canadian companies focused on technology, mobility, fleet operations and customer service. Most recently, he was CEO at Purolator, Canada’s leading integrated freight, parcel and logistics provider. Modo provides access to more than 500 vehicles across the Lower Mainland and Victoria and serves more than 17,000 individual and 400 business members.

Partnering up at Mann Moulson Wilson Wong is a new partner at Victoria accounting firm Mann Moulson and Co. Wong moved from Calgary, where he had a practice serving small-business clients. Wong is taking over from Mann Moulson partner Tom Macgregor, who is retiring after a long career with Mann Moulson, where he started as a student in 1981. He became a partner with the firm in 1988.

Macgregor is assisting in the transition throughout the fall and winter. Kerri Gibson, who has been a partner at Mann Moulson since 2006, will continue as a partner. Mann Moulson and Co., 1803 Douglas St., has been serving Greater Victoria since the firm’s founding in 1951.

Brougham founder on B.C. accountants board Lindalee Brougham, founder and principal of LL Brougham Inc., was elected to the 2016-17 board of the directors of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia. This year’s chairman is David Hallinan, budget and reporting manager for the City of Kamloops.

A strong hand for Mustard Seed Street Church Rev. Bruce Curtiss is the new executive director of the Mustard Seed Street Church. With 15 years experience, Curtiss brings a strong background as senior chaplain and manager of Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. He’s also a coach, mentor and servant to marginalized communities in greatest need of a hand-up.

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Caledonian Brewery and Distillery appointed John Hamilton as vicepresident of tourism and guest experiences.

He will also oversee marketing and branding aspects of the business. Hamilton had been running Hammer Travel & Tourism Consulting, providing marketing consulting with a focus on experiential storytelling and digital marketing strategies. From 2006 to 2009 Hamilton was vice-president of WestJet Vacations. He was previously director of travel services at Canadian Automobile Association British Columbia.

The Victoria Caledonian Brewery & Distillery opened in August.

IN DUNCAN, HOTEL REBRANDS The Silver Bridge Inn, the landmark hotel at the Cowichan River on the TransCanada at Duncan since 1952, has rebranded as the Ramada Duncan, part of the Wyndham Hotel Group. The hotel’s 34 rooms have undergone renovations and upgrades. The Old Fork Restaurant serves all- day breakfast as well as home-cooked lunch and dinner entrees. The River Rock Bar + Grill features live local bands Friday nights and open mic night Saturdays. The ownership group, Cowichan Hospitality Ltd., and management team remain the same and consists of general manager Nick Both, Catherine Kynoch, accommodations manager; Mary Lionas, events manager; chef Scott Walmsley; and Sheila Leclerc, sales and marketing manager.

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BUZZ Lessons in Leadership with Olympian Adam Kreek: Find out how to influence, lead and persuade more effectively.

An Olympic gold medallist, adventurer and engineer, Kreek is a corporate trainer and social entrepreneur who walks the talk.

Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2-4 p.m.

Watershed Solutions Inc., 500-1112 Fort St. Christmas Beer Show Save on Foods Memorial Centre Friday, Dec. 2, 5 to 9 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 1 to 5 p.m.

Tickets: charge by Phone 250-220-7777; also available at Save-OnFoods Memorial Centre box office Single day tickets: $40 & Weekend tickets: $70 This is a 19+ event. You must produce ID to purchase your ticket and enter the event.

MOE’S COMES TO VICTORIA Moe’s Home Collection, a staple in furniture retail in Vancouver for more than a quarter-century and most recently in Seattle, has opened a franchise in downtown Victoria.

Curtis Vertefeuille, left, and Ken Shapkin opened their 2,300-square-foot retail space on the ground floor of the new Union Building, 523 Fisgard St., on the edge of Chinatown and — fittingly — in the middle of downtown Victoria’s Design District.

The store showcases home furniture and decor from Moe’s Home Collection.

Moe’s Home is a B.C. success story, a family-owned and operated business started by Moe Samieian in Vancouver. Originally opening as Moe’s Classic Rugs in 1991, Moe’s Home has grown to be a favourite brand in both the retail and wholesale furniture sectors. With his two children, Moe Jr. and Sara, the team operates four locations in Vancouver and Seattle.

Samieian said Victoria was a natural fit for an expansion of the business. As a longtime employee working alongside the Samieians, Vertefeuille brings extensive experience across a range of roles within Moe’s Home Collection and the retail furniture and decorating industry overall.

Out of Hand 28th Annual Artisan Fair Friday, Nov. 25, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 26, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Sunday, Nov 27, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Daily Admission: Adults $9. Seniors and students $7. Multi-day pass: Adults $10. Seniors and Students $8. Kids under 12 admitted free.

The Crystal Garden, 713 Douglas St. Out of Hand presents a curated selection of fine crafts, artisan food and one-of-a-kind fashions created by some of B.C.’s most creative professional artisans. The largest artisan fair of its kind on Vancouver Island, Out of Hand features well-established craftspeople, a pop-up Etsy boutique, live entertainment and presentations each day, and fabulous door prizes.

Visit outofhand.ca Tel.: 250-858-0375

CALENDAR

Fall Marketplace Mixer Wednesday, Oct. 19, 4-7 p.m.

Comfort Hotel & Conference Centre 3020 Blanshard St.

New leader for Abebooks Arkady Vitrouk is the new chief executive of Abebooks.com, the international online marketplace for books based in Victoria. Vitrouk joins AbeBooks from Amazon, where he worked for three years as director of Kindle content in Amazon’s European headquarters in Luxembourg.

Books have been major part of Vitrouk’s life. Prior to joining Amazon, Arkady was CEO of Azbooka-Atticus Publishing Group — one of Russia’s largest publishers of general trade and children’s books, which he led for 10 years. He brings a personal passion for books, as well as collecting lithographs, prints and illustrations.

Arkady moved with his family to Victoria and will make regular visits to Abebooks’ German office in Düsseldorf. He will attend book fairs in the coming months to meet sellers using AbeBooks and begin an active discussion with the bookselling community. Millions of new, used, rare and out-of-print books are offered for sale through the AbeBooks websites from thousands of booksellers around the world.

AbeBooks Inc. is a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc. AbeBooks was acquired by Amazon in December 2008 and remains a standalone operation with headquarters in Victoria and a European office in Düsseldorf.

34th Annual Dinner Auction Gala Friday, Nov. 25, 6 to 10:30 p.m.

The Union Club of British Columbia 805 Gordon St. Victoria Chamber’s 34th annual Dinner Auction Gala includes cocktails, dinner as well as a silent and live auction. Bid on hundreds of items, including travel and entertainment packages, electronics, beauty and fitness services, jewelery and more.

6 p.m. Cocktails Silent auction bidding & viewing 7 p.m. Opening remarks & dinner Live auction to follow dinner Small Business Week Oct. 17-21 Check victoriachamber.ca for complete list of events Seminar Customer Service Using Social Media Oct. 26, 2 to 4 p.m.

The Chamber, 852 Fort St.

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BUZZ Trustee society appoints fundraiser

TIDBITS

Randy Joynt is the new manager of external affairs at the Royal and McPherson Theatres Society. It’s a new position that executive director Lloyd Fitzsimonds calls “a significant step forward for the RMTS as we explore new ways to enrich the cultural life of our communities.”

Joynt began his career as a contemporary dancer, performing with companies in Winnipeg, Ottawa and Montreal. He then cofounded TRIP dance company in Winnipeg and began his transition to arts administration. For the past eight years, he has been the executive director of Winnipeg’s Artspace, which operates a historic warehouse home to 18 arts and cultural organizations and provides arts-administration services throughout Manitoba. During his tenure at Artspace, Randy developed Artspace Arts Management, an artsadministration service that provides bookkeeping and planning services for arts organizations and ArtSupport Manitoba, a program that works with arts organizations to build their capacity to raise funds from the private sector. RMTS is a not-for-profit organization that manages all operational aspects of the Royal Theatre and the McPherson Playhouse.

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Perfect pub partners Brock Carbery, left, and Gord Hahn hoist a couple of pints to celebrate their new partnership at Christie’s Carriage House Pub in Victoria’s Jubilee neighbourhood. Carbery has been general manager and part-owner of the pub for 14 years. Last month, long-time majority owners Jim and Louise O’Brien sold their shares to Carbery and Hahn, who become the third ownership group in the 29-year history of Christie’s.

Hahn and his wife, Andra, owned and operated the James Bay Esso gas and service station for 23 years before selling in October 2015.

He admitted the partnership with Carbery was hard to resist.

“He is the face of Christie’s and has a lot of integrity, and that’s what you want in a partner,” says Hahn. “My wife and I have frequented a few pubs and restaurants in Victoria and have always come back to Christie’s — just great service, friendly and comfortable.”

Mike Gavas, who’s been tending bar at Christie’s since 1988, says it’s a perfect partnership for the pub, particularly for Carbery, who will continue to manage. “Brock really does epitomize the term publican ... [he’s] truly one of those rare, nice guys that thrives on the social aspect of the business.”

Christie’s is in a heritage house at 1739 Fort St., that was built in 1898

by Eldridge Christie, a renowned builder of horse-drawn carriages. The home remained in the family until 1948 and was later converted to apartments. It opened as a pub in 1986.

News partnership Victoria-based SendtoNews Video Inc. has a new syndication partnership with McClatchy, one of the largest newspaper publishers in the United States. The agreement will see the rollout of SendtoNews’ sports video content across McClatchy’s digital publishing operations. SendtoNews is North America’s leading sports video ad platform serving an expanding publisher network of more than 1,500 news properties.

WELCOME TO DAYS INN VICTORIA UPTOWN A hotel on Gorge Road that originally opened in 1971 as the Coachman Inn has been rebranded from Travelodge Victoria to Days Inn Victoria Uptown.

It had been a Travelodge since 1994. The property will continue to be owned by Mayfair Hotels & Resorts.

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BUZZ

Bicknell: a key board appointment for Royal Roads University

NEW CEO FOR TRUFFLES

A communications specialist with a 30-year career in the B.C. public service has been appointed by the provincial government to Royal Roads University’s board of governors.

Before retiring in 2015, Liz Bicknell provided advice and issues management counsel at senior levels of the provincial government, working in public engagement, community outreach and strategic planning positions. Her expertise extended to numerous departments, including the ministries of environment, transportation, finance and natural resources. “Liz brings invaluable skills to the board that will benefit our team,” says Chancellor Wayne Strandlund. “Her wealth of experience is a welcome asset.” Before coming to Canada in 1984, Bicknell served with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Africa, working in Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya in a position that held full diplomatic privileges. During her six-year tenure with UNHCR, Bicknell assisted with negotiations during a hostage-taking incident at Entebbe Airport, Uganda, and helped Mother Teresa establish the Missionaries of Charity orphanages in Ethiopia.

Brian Pope has joined the Truffles Group as chief executive overseeing one of Vancouver Island’s leading hospitality, tourism and beverage retail companies.

The Truffles Group is comprised of Cascadia Liquor Stores, Truffles Catering, Habitat Catering at Royal Roads, Canoe Brewpub, Victoria Butterfly Gardens and Sequoia Coastal Coffee at the Royal B.C. Museum. For more than two decades, Pope worked with InterContinental Hotels and Resorts and Westin Hotels and Resorts in Vancouver, Toronto, San Francisco and Hawaii. Pope will collaborate with Don Calveley, founder and executive chairman of the Truffles Group, to further develop all brands and to actively pursue opportunities for expansion and acquisition.

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Tourists from all over the world crowd the causeway on the Inner Harbour.

BRUCE STOTESBURY PHOTO

SUMMER SOLD OUT After a near capacity summer season, the marketing focus is now on boosting the shoulder seasons.

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BY ANDREW A. DUFFY When the restaurant patios are filled through the summer, there are lines everywhere for sun-soaked whale watching tours and every hotel room boasts a set of ruffled bed sheets, it’s time to start looking at new ways of growing a tourism industry.

Welcome to Victoria, where tourism is not just back in force, but appears intent on spreading itself around the region in record numbers.

The summer of 2016, with long sunny days, warm nights, a vibrancy pulsing from the downtown core and plenty of activity on the water, may be remembered as the year tourism roared.

It’s also a year in which Tourism Victoria redoubled its efforts to attract visitors in the off-season.

Paul Nursey, chief executive of the region’s destination marketing organization, says tourism success meant the city’s hotels have been near capacity through the summer, and the push is on to bring more people here when the slate-grey skies roll in.

“We are on a track now that we are not a summeronly destination ... in fact I think we are reaching our capacity in summer,” said the head of Tourism Victoria.

Nursey says with nothing concrete planned to add to the supply of hotel rooms or attractions, the city has undertaken a deliberate strategy of pushing the shoulder seasons for leisure travel, and this year will be pushing hard to build business travel and conferences through the leaner months.

It can be argued Victoria is already a year-round destination of choice.

“It’s been a combination of things that has done it,” says Nursey.

Tourism Victoria has always marketed Christmas in Victoria, but has in recent years pushed Halloween and Valentine’s Day with many hotels, attractions and the Downtown Victoria Business Association jumping on board to establish the city as both the scariest and most romantic in the country.

Nursey says that kind of cohesive campaign,

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where partners fully get involved in lighting the city and offering themed programming, delivers on the promise of the marketing. The strategy certainly paid off this year when the city reported its hotels achieved in excess of 65 per cent occupancy in February.

Nursey says when you consider the city averaged just 63 per cent occupancy through the year three years ago, there’s clearly been progress.

In order to continue to grow in an environment where summer is virtually sold out, it’s important to have solid programming and product in the off season, he says.

“The travel trade, the ones that book group tours, they are no longer getting the same inventory of hotels in the summer so they have to push to the shoulder,” he says.

“And we have a lot of good things to offer in spring and fall whether that’s the salmon run or cherry blossoms.”

Dave Cowen, general manager of Butchart Gardens, says Tourism Victoria has done a good job of finding new ways of selling the same city.

“I think we are making good progress to getting back to thickening what are the tails of the bell curve,” he says. “Before 2008, we were doing a good job, but now we are really seeing strong Christmas activity, and Tourism Victoria has done a good job of animating Valentine’s Day and Halloween.”

Cowen says it’s likely a combination of marketing and a solid events schedule that’s helped to beef up visits after the summer months. Not to mention a record cruise ship season that spilled thousands of passengers ashore and choked downtown streets.

“Sporting events, festivals and things like Rifflandia definitely help to keep our name out there,” Cowen says, noting the gardens had a very strong Christmas season last year and it’s been steady ever since.

Cowen says they have seen more international travellers coming off-peak as a result of marketing and better deals.

“There has been some strong strategy and tactics behind this, and we have to keep our nose to the grindstone — collecting data and analyzing where customers are coming from and understanding why they came at a certain period,” he says.

“If we take for granted that shoulder season then we risk losing it.”

Ryan Malane, vice-president of Black Ball, which operates the Coho car ferry

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A pedicab carries tourists though Chinatown. Plenty of sunshine, little rain helped drive tourism numbers higher.

DARREN STONE PHOTO

between Victoria and Port Angeles, says the off-season marketing has been a win for the company and the city as a whole.

“It’s been a successful effort, and I give Tourism Victoria a lot of credit for really pushing the most romantic city and the most haunted city in Canada idea,” he said. “And we have seen a large increase in December traffic; that is now one of our biggest packaging months.”

Malane says the improved numbers are a combination of marketing, the fact the entire Pacific Northwest region is a tourism hot spot at the moment and Victoria selling the assets it has.

“Christmas has always been well done city-wide with the festivals and frankly people outside Victoria didn’t realize how great it was,” he says.

Michelle Le Sage, general manager of the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, says not only has the destination been pushing its assets yearround, but it’s finally had the help of the individual hotel properties.

“What I love seeing is that all the hotels are getting behind the campaigns from Tourism Victoria. At Halloween, for instance, different hotels are doing the ‘room with a boo’ package,” she says. “And it helps because we’re all marketing that softer sea-

son. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen the whole destination get behind it.”

Le Sage also notes the city is seeing growth because it’s marketing to a younger demographic.

“There’s more life and vibrancy in the city, there’s more in the food and beer scene and it’s bringing more people here. I think we are creating more reasons for people to come to Victoria.”

Nursey says they are not done and there’s a lot of work left to do to build up the softer parts of the year, including a new campaign around Victoria’s military history that will be revealed in November.

As for what’s next, Nursey says Tourism Victoria will be pushing the conference and meetings business, in hopes of luring and expanding major conferences into significant events in months like January, which is “tough for everyone” especially the first two weeks of any year.

Tourism Victoria, which will officially be responsible for meetings sales at the Victoria Conference Centre as of January, and a network of local hotels have been promoting the city as a host for major conferences, talking to meeting planners who book conferences and meetings for government, corporations and other large organizations.

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END OF LIFE

The shifting business

Ross Bay Cemetery, home to generations of Victorians, including Sir James Douglas and Emily Carr.

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END OF LIFE

of dealing with death How the funeral industry is adapting to changing times

BY AMY SMART People are in various states of undress at one man’s wake on Hornby Island. It’s a long weekend in the middle of summer and dozens of his loved ones have gathered under the sun at Little Tribune Bay, pitching a tent and laying out snacks at the small, clothing-optional beach.

This was one of the man’s favourite places. Strangers are offered glasses of champagne, just the way he would have wanted. And at high tide, the entire group strips down and runs splashing into the sea. It’s a celebration of life, in the truest sense.

It may not seem like your typical wake, but in many ways it is. How we choose to mark the end of a life has changed drastically in recent years, with a marked shift away from standardized and sombre affairs toward more personalized celebrations of life.

For those in the business of death, from funeral homes to burial grounds, the shift to personalized services represents either the biggest challenge or opportunity. Those who don’t adapt are doomed to lose clients to the do-ityourself movement, while others are finding ways to help the grieving honour their dead in new ways.

From “death midwives” who assist at home funerals to companies that press a deceased’s ashes into a vinyl record, new businesses are popping up and established ones are transforming.

PHOTOS: DARREN STONE Capital

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END OF LIFE NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S BURIAL Does the idea of ending up in a graveyard or urn feel too conformist?

Do you want your final resting place to better reflect the way you lived your life? There’s no reason your memorial should be less individual than you, you beautiful snowflake. Here are some alternatives to the traditional cemetery resting place.

The Day the Music Died: “When the album that is life finally reaches the end, wouldn’t it be nice to keep that record spinning for eternity?” A company called And Vinyly offers a service pressing ashes into a vinyl recording. You can record a personal message, your last will and testament, your own soundtrack, “or simply press your ashes to hear your pops and crackles for the minimal approach.”

Tattoos: Let your loved one get under your skin forever. Some tattoo artists have mixed cremations with tattoo ink, for a lasting tribute.

Health Canada has recommended against it.

Sleep with the Fishes: A pair of divers concerned about deteriorating choral reefs off the Florida Keys found a way to do something about it. Eternal Reefs creates new fish habitats by incorporating cremains into an environmentally-friendly cement mixture to create artificial reef formations.

Still Life: Why not get a portrait of your loved one, painted with your loved one? Several artists offer to make paintings and sculptures with cremains sprinkled into the materials. “I’ll build a thoughtful, emotional and visually-rich connection to a unique soul that has left an important imprint in this world,” Calgary-based abstract artist Marina Nelson, says on her website.

Diamonds are Forever: Diamonds are made of carbon and carbon is the basis of all life. That’s the thinking behind Remembrance Diamonds, a Vancouver company with Swiss links. The human body is 20 per cent carbon, most of which escapes as carbon emissions during cremation. One to five per cent of that carbon remains in the ashes.

That carbon is put under high pressure and temperature to artificially create a diamond. “It is of great joy for us to see how loved ones are kept close individually; therefore, we refrain from offering a jewelry collection.”

Down the Pipes: Hilton’s Aquagreen Dispositions dissolves human remains using an alkaline solution, then drains the leftover coffeecoloured effluents into the sewer system. It’s marketed as a green alternative to cremation, which typically takes three to four hours and releases about 250 kilograms of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Out with a Bang: Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson’s ashes were famously packed into firework casings and dispersed from 34 shells fired from a gun barrel mounted on a 150-foot monument. In a similar vein, some companies offer to create a fireworks display with your ashes. “Bursting over the ocean in exquisite patterns and colors, the cremains are scattered into the sea,” says California-based Angels Flight on its website.

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tephen Olson, executive director of Royal Oak Burial Park, has watched many of the industry’s biggest shifts firsthand, having worked in every area — from crematorium operator to funeral director. After 20 years at the burial park, he plans to retire in November.

The most noticeable industry transformation, from his perspective: The exponential growth in cremation. According to B.C. Vital Statistics, about 39 per cent of bodies were buried and 60 per cent were cremated in 1986. By 2015, burials had dropped to 15 per cent and cremations had risen to 84 per cent. It’s even higher in Greater Victoria; locals in the industry say about 92 per cent of bodies are cremated and believe that represents the highest rate in North America.

Some attribute the shift to affordability, others to the decline of organized religions that call for burials. Still others say the high number of retirees in Victoria may play a role; transporting cremains back to another part of the country is easier.

Olson also estimated that more than half of the families contact the crematorium directly now, instead of going through a funeral director.

Not unrelated is the way people think and talk about death. In the 1970s, Olson says, death was more taboo, talked about in hushed tones. More people belonged to organized religions or churches and their services were more or less determined for them — they just had to pick the hymns and maybe a favourite Bible passage. Now, people seem more open to talking about mortality and making plans for their own funerals or resting places. It’s not uncommon for a modern rock classic to replace Amazing Grace, for services to feature memorial slideshows or for a family pet to make it into the laser-image that will show who lies here.

“The way we work with people now is far more participatory. It used to be that a family would have a death and they’d come to a funeral home and the director would tell them what would happen,” Olson said.

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END OF LIFE ‘We’re basically event planners’ “The complete reverse is now the norm and the families seek out the funeral directors and cemetery operators who will permit them to have the service they want. So it’s a lot more listening and a lot more working with a family to create a very highly personalized service.”

Royal Oak and other cemeteries have expanded their offerings, from green burials to memorial rose gardens and a wooded area where families can personalize cremation memorials (one installed a mini lighthouse, another decorated a grave with frogs).

Prices range from about $250 for a simple scattering ceremony to a $15,000 crypt in a mausoleum.

“Once you give permission to people to be creative, it’s amazing what they will do that will be meaningful to them,” he said.

On Aug. 2, one of Victoria’s longest-run-

Campus Infiniti

ning funeral businesses opened the doors to what it believes is the future of funeral services. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out on a garden patio and large evergreen tree, high ceilings draw maximum natural light and local art by Blu Smith and Marion Evamy hangs on the walls, which are finished in cherry wood.

McCall Gardens and Sequoia Centre isn’t West Coast contemporary by accident. The family-run company hosted focus groups, online surveys and other market research before determining a design. The overwhelming response: In times of grief, people want to feel connected with nature. They hired architect Peter de Hoog and designer Sandy Nygaard to make it happen.

“We wanted to build a funeral home that doesn’t feel like a funeral home,” said Trevor McCall, a fourth-generation funeral direc-

tor. “We wanted it to feel like you’re out in nature when you’re just inside.”

Trevor joined the family business six years ago, after nine years working for the New York Stock Exchange. His great-grandfather David McCall and brother James started McCall Brothers in 1921 — a bold move in a city whose mayor ran the competing funeral home. He works closely with his cousin Craig Williams, who is the general manager.

But what this generation of McCalls does is vastly different from their great-grandfather. From offering trendy caskets — the $4,495 Barnett is made from reclaimed barn wood — to transforming the event space to look like a casino, for a family whose loved one loved gambling.

“We’re basically event planners,” Trevor said.

3371 Oak Street | (250) 475 1148 www.CampusInfiniti.com

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END OF LIFE

Stephen Olson in the Royal Oak Burial Park mausoleum. “People seem more open to talking about mortality and making plans for their own funerals or resting places.”

Memorial society offers alternatives

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he business of death had one of its greatest growth periods around the mid-century. That period saw the formation of companies such as Service Corporation International in 1962, which now counts more than 2,000 funeral homes and cemeteries in its network — making it the largest funeral services provider in North America.

The mid-century also saw the formation of the Memorial Society of B.C. The volunteer-driven organization formed in 1956, when members of the Unitarian Fellowship for Social Justice met in a Vancouver church.

“At the time, there was a rising tide of protest throughout North America against lavish, sentimental and expensive funeral practices that were supplanting the simple funeral practices of an earlier day. The B.C. initiatives were part of a continent-wide

response to the increasing costs of funeral,” the organization’s website says.

Today, the organization says B.C. has among the lowest funeral costs in North America, as a result of its work. It’s the largest society of its kind, with 26 locations in the province.

Executive director Nicole Renwick described the non-profit as a negotiator, with the intention of ensuring that simple, dignified, low-cost funerals are always an option.

Members pay a one-time $40 fee and essentially get a group discount at a licensed funeral provider. Members are also encouraged to leave detailed instructions for how they want their families to handle their funerals and remains and the society helps family learn about things like the CPP death benefit, which provides up to $2,500.

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END OF LIFE

Trevor McCall arranges flowers in the the family’s new chapel, complete with big-screen television and grand piano.

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A small but growing business hen you lose someone, the last thing you should do is make a big financial decision.

Unfortunately, dying involves a business transaction right then and there. That’s why we try to put the responsibility on the member to leave instructions for what they want.”

Today, the industry has more or less levelled off. Statistics Canada’s Survey of Household Spending shows that actual household spending, after inflation, in funeral services grew at about the same rate as the increase in deaths between 2006 and 2013 (about 1.3 per cent per year).

And although there are some larger corporate companies such as SCI and Canadianbased Arbor Memorial, which owns the Island Sands chain and several others across the country, small businesses still maintain

a healthy share of the market.

“When we look at our membership base, we have a really good balance between corporate and independent,” said Charlotte Poncelet, executive director for the B.C. Funeral Association.

While the funeral services industry is a relatively small one, Services Canada expects it to begin growing again soon. Death rates slowed to about 1.2 per cent between 1992 and 2014.

“This relatively weak growth, given the population aging, is attributed to higher life expectancy. Despite this levelling off in the rise in the number of deaths, over the next few years, the impact of population aging will inevitably overcome the effect of increased life expectancy.”

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END OF LIFE The funeral services industry is increasingly a women’s game. David McCall said when he took over his family’s business in 1980, there were almost no women in the local industry.

By 2011, with 4,535 funeral directors and embalmers in Canada, 2,990 were men and 1,545 were women. Now, about two women are entering the industry for every man, says Yves Berthiaume, vice-president of the Funeral Services Association of Canada.

Charlotte Poncelet, executive director of the B.C. Funeral Association, said she experienced the shift. “When I went into the program 23 years ago, it was the complete opposite. It was myself and another girl. Over the past 10 years that has really changed.”

Like most people who enter the industry, Poncelet did so after experiencing a loss of her own — her mother, sister and nephew were killed in a car accident.

In Victoria, the trend continues. The new executive director of the Royal Oak Burial Park is Crystabelle Fobler, formerly of Hamilton, Ont. She is succeeding Stephen Olson.

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Hot market for small plots

A peaceful autumn stroll through Ross Bay Cemetery: At 15,000 plots, it’s now considered at full capacity.

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There’s no question where the hottest real estate is in Greater Victoria when it comes to burial plots. Ross Bay Cemetery offers it all: Seaside views, historic charm and the who’s who of plot neighbours — from Sir James Douglas to Emily Carr.

Unfortunately, it’s virtually full. But that just boosts the appeal — and property values.

In 2007, about 250 people put their names in a lottery for a piece of the historic 11-hectare cemetery, wedged between Dallas Road and Fairfield Road. The cemetery has about 15,000 plots and was considered full, but the City of Victoria identified 72 available plots.

Sixty-five winners received a letter in the mail alerting them they had won the chance to buy a plot. It would only cost them $19,500 to $25,000 apiece, for a plot large enough for a casket.

After the lottery winners were selected, the city said a further 200 plots would likely come on the market, after officials completed a laborious process of verifying that no one had rights to them.

Stephen Olson, executive director of Royal Oak Burial Park, said most of the 65 lottery winners went through with the purchase. A smaller number of plots were offered to a second round of people.

A total 24 of 38 plots were sold, or licensed for a 50-year period, leaving 14 unclaimed, the city said. Two people have since been buried in them.

Although Ross Bay plots occasionally pop up on secondary markets such as the classified section or Craigslist, spokeswoman Michelle Harris said the city is no longer trying to actively figure out if the remaining plots are claimed.

“There are no future plans for a lottery or active promotion,” Harris said.

As for active cemeteries, property values continue to rise in accordance with supply and demand, just like Victoria’s housing market. At Royal Oak Burial Park, casket burial plot prices range from $4,365 for a green burial lot to upright monument lots that begin at $7,190. At Hatley Memorial Gardens, a singledepth plot of a traditional coffin is $3,275 and a double-depth plot for two stacked coffins is $5,460.

“As you use land and you only have a limited amount of land available to you, the intrinsic value of it increases,” said Olson said. “Forty to 50 years ago, a grave in the burial park would have been in the hundreds of dollars. Today it starts at around $3,200 and goes up from there.”

Olson estimates Royal Oak has enough casket burial space to last until 2060.

“There’s still opportunities within that time frame to manage the cemetery in such a way that it could be extended.”

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END OF LIFE MANY WAYS TO GO GREEN Going green doesn’t have to be limited to the way you live. What happens to your body after death can add to your carbon footprint.

Green burials: In a green or natural burial, a body is prepared without embalming and buried in a biodegradable shroud, simple container or casket made from natural fibre. Royal Oak Burial Park opened its green burial site, Woodlands, in October 2008. It’s coming up on its 175th burial since then and about the same number of families have made prearrangements. “That doesn’t sound like a lot, but in a market where it’s a 92 per cent cremation rate, that’s not insignificant,” says executive director Stephen Olson. “I also think the adoption of green burials will be generational in nature. It’s a trend, not a fad.”

Sands Eco-Cremation Centre: Cremation is a direct creator of carbon emissions and the one- to four-hour process requires about the same amount of energy as a single person might use domestically for an entire month. It can also produce harmful emissions, such as mercury.

Sands isn’t reinventing the wheel, but it limits the materials permitted in an incinerator — no varnishes or harmful chemicals, says funeral home manager Nolan Adam. “[And for] every family that we serve, we have a tree planted in northern British Columbia in memory of their deceased loved one.”

The company also offers green urns made with biodegradable materials and seeds, so a tree may grow in the place of interment. For those who choose a ceremony at sea, a paper-based receptacle — decorated with a sailboat — can be released on the water.

Stephen Olson at Royal Oak’s Columbarium Grove: 175 green burials since 2008. “A trend, not a fad.”

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END OF LIFE A personal image and message are etched into a headstone at Royal Oak Burial Park. There are about 72,000 people buried at the 135-acre park, which has been in operation since 1923. Officials say Royal Oak has enough burial room to last until 2060 — and possibly beyond.

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Roman Hahn: RBC Dominion Securities PROCESS, DISCIPLINE, CLARITY, INSIGHT AND PARTNERSHIP

What is your investment strategy?

I develop successful strategies and rewarding investment portfolios using three keys. First, I build understanding. I want to know about you and your family, and to understand what you want your money to do. Second, I help you navigate. I show you how to diversify your portfolio to maximize gains and minimize losses. Third, I work with you to build a personalized, long-term strategy that I monitor closely.

This allows you to enjoy a comfortable retirement.

What sets you apart from your peers?

I have 34 years of experience in wealth management. My skills are well honed, and I use precision and insight to predict and react appropriately to the world’s shifting markets.

Why would I come to you?

I’m not here to pitch the latest hot stock or fund with an amazing track record. My aim is to help you create a strategic framework to manage your assets.

The keys of my methodology are process, discipline, clarity, insight and partnership.

How do you begin?

The first step is to treat your investments like a business in which you’re the CEO. You need to develop a plan that’s designed

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to meet your goals – both in the short and long term. Your goals need to be quantifiable. How much money will you need, when will you need it, what investment return will get you there?

Together, we develop an investment strategy wherein the targeted return is consistent with your acceptable risk level. When required, our goals and strategies are adjusted.

Tell me about your investment process.

Investing should be “top down.”

Too many investors get this backwards. The first and most important decisions should involve the development of a successful asset allocation strategy that recognizes goals, historical returns and risk or tolerances.

This helps me determine how to allocate your funds to stocks, bonds, cash and alternative investments. The final combination is custom tailored to your unique requirements. Then and only then do I move to step two, which is to create a sector allocation. Finally, we select the portfolio securities.

What do you mean by ‘sector allocation’?

I am referring to geographic sectors like Canada, the U.S., and international and emerging markets. There is some degree of selectivity in industrial sectors like technology, health sciences

and consumer discretionary. Also included are style allocations like value, growth, smart beta, dividend earnings, etc.

What common mistakes do investors make?

I see investors comparing their results to indexes and benchmarks as opposed to their own return targets – set in relation to their personal goals and risk tolerances.

I also see a failure to realistically quantify retirement income, and to understand how long it will last.

What about retirement income?

With interest rates as low as they are, I believe you need to earn income through dividends, capital gains and return of capital structures. Domestic bond yields are near historic lows, so traditional fixed income investing is problematic on a variety of fronts.

Your investments and holdings are the key to your future wealth.

To achieve the greatest results, my best advice is to choose a wealth advisor who understands both you and today’s changing markets.

Roman Hahn joined RBC Dominion Securities in 1990. He holds the Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI) designation and has served as a member of his firm’s distinguished Executive Council

for many years.

Roman Hahn, BA, FMA, FCSI Vice-President and Wealth Advisor Hahn and Associates Wealth Management Consulting of RBC Dominion Securities 730 View St., Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7 Phone: 250-356-4838 email: roman.hahn@rbc.com www.romanhahn.com

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Cooper Pacific DIVERSE & SECURE MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS

What is a Mortgage Investment Corporation?

A Mortgage Investment Corporation, (MIC) is an investment and lending company designed for mortgage lending in Canada. Owning shares in a MIC enables you to invest in a company which manages a diversified and secured pool of mortgages. Shares of a MIC are qualified investments under the Canadian Income Tax Act and are eligible to be held in RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs, RESPs and RDSPs. MICs are generally provincially registered and licensed, with the management of the mortgage fund under the direction of a provincially licensed mortgage broker. Mortgages are secured on real property, often in conjunction with other forms of security such as personal and corporate guarantees, general security agreements and material contracts.

How does a MIC work with Cooper Pacific?

Investors purchase shares at a price of $1 per share in the MIC.

There is a minimum investment of $5000, and this is invested for a period of one year. If repayment is not requested, your investment is reinvested for an additional year. Income earned in the MIC is paid as interest income to the investor on either a monthly or quarterly basis, depending on the MIC chosen. Cooper Pacific currently offers three different MIC funds. The MIC funds are based on a diversified pool of first and second short-term construction and interim loans to builders and developers in Greater Victoria, Vancouver Island, Greater Vancouver and Alberta. Investor income can be received in the form of cash, or it can be reinvested as additional shares in the MIC in order to obtain compounded investment returns.

Why invest in a MIC with Cooper Pacific?

Diversification is why you should invest in a MIC. Private MICs are not correlated to public markets, therefore MICs reduce the volatility of your portfolio without compromising your yield.

MIC investments are considered passive investments; you simply invest and start earning returns as either cash or shares. Cooper Pacific RRSP, RRIF and TFSA investment plans carry no annual fees, transaction fees or plan transfer fees that tend to reduce

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your investment returns.

What are the benefits of investing with Cooper Pacific?

Cooper Pacific has over 22 years of experience providing customized lending products to borrowers, and a proven successful track record for maximizing investor’s returns.

Investors benefit from a knowledgeable management team with a strong reputation for honesty, reliability and integrity in business, supported by one of the strongest, most respected Board of Directors in the real estate industry. Cooper Pacific prides itself on their dedicated commitment to ensuring quality service to both investors and borrowers.

As a local MIC, they are able to be nimble and flexible in the marketplace, adapting quickly to changes in the real estate market.

CAM COOPER ON THEIR LENDING PHILOSOPHY AND VALUES: What kind of mortgages does Cooper Pacific invest in?

Cooper Pacific invests in both first and second mortgages on loans that are short term in nature. Construction loans on subdivisions, single family dwellings, condo projects, townhouse projects and some commercial developments are the majority to which we lend.

However, we also lend on land purchases, some holding properties, and from time to time, some income commercial properties.

What kind of deals are you comfortable with?

Deals with solid borrowers/ developers and loans in solid real estate locations are certainly the major comfort factors in determining which loans are right for Cooper Pacific. I deal with well-established borrowers with good track records in locations that are well established and in major urban centres. Every mortgage that Cooper Pacific funds must be unanimously approved by our credit committee.

Why do borrowers like working with Cooper Pacific?

Borrowers like our very quick service and the fact that our process is devoid of the bureaucracy that sometimes plagues institutional lenders. A borrower can bring a deal to us and we can have it approved and funded within a couple of days.

Where do you see real estate development in the next couple of years?

The local B.C. real estate market appears poised for continued growth, and with the high demand and living quality here, I believe it to be a very stable market. www.cooperpacific.ca

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250.475.2669 | 821 Broughton Street | Victoria, B.C.

Who is Morley Cooper and Cooper Pacific?

After graduating from the University of Manitoba, I started my career in the mortgage industry at the mortgage and real estate investment division of a large, US-based life insurance company with operations in Canada.

Eight years later I joined an Edmonton-based economic and real estate consulting company as Vice President of the real estate consulting division.

Several years after this, I established the Alberta operation for a Vancouver-based mortgage banking company. I spent eight years as Vice President with this company funding large mortgage loans on all types of properties for major developers and investors through major institutional lenders.

In 1980, I moved to Victoria with my family and established my own mortgage company brokering

In more recent years, my focus has shifted from active management to overseeing operations. My son Cam, who has been at Cooper Pacific since inception, has stepped into day-to-day management with the very capable support of Senior Cooper Pacific Mortgage was established in 1994.

Management. I have reduced hours spent in the I was having lunch with Ron Tidman, a client who had office and may continue to do so. However, with the become a close personal friend. We came up with Cooper name there, I will always have a vested the idea of forming a mortgage lending company over interest for the ongoing success and integrity of our our meal. Ron asked if he raised the money to company. capitalize the company would I run it. I said “yes�, we shook hands and that was the start of Cooper Today Cooper Pacific offers investors three Pacific. Ron brought together a blue ribbon group of different MIC funds that currently range in monthly respected and knowledgeable businessmen who and quarterly returns between 5% and 7%. We capitalized the new company, many of whom were continue to operate under sound business clients. These principals are still directors of the practices with the same integrity, hard work, company and continue to make significant ongoing mutual respect and professionalism that started back in 1994 – with a simple handshake. contributions to the success of our company. mortgage loans for developers on Vancouver Island.

These loans were all placed with institutional investors such as life companies, pension funds, banks, trust companies and credit unions.

Left to right: Jordan Fairlie, Barb Gallup, Morley Cooper, Cam Cooper, Guy Pocock, Katie Mose, Jonathan Norgaard

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Raymond James: Sybil Verch TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCES

f you want to reduce stress and anxiety over your finances, following these five steps can help:

I

1. Pay attention to cash flow Spend less than you earn. This means knowing exactly what you have coming in (income) and what you have going out (expenses). Keep personal finances separate from business. A common mistake small business owners make is to blend their personal and business income and expenses. This leads to stress, anxiety, and a lack of control over money. Another common mistake is not accounting for quarterly or annual expenses (i.e., GST payments, taxes and insurance).

Plan ahead to ensure you have the cash to cover expenses when they arise. A cash flow worksheet will help you with that process. Go to www.thewealthylife.com for a free copy. There are only three ways to fix a cash flow shortage: 1) earn more money; 2) spend less; or 3) a combination of 1 and 2.

2. Calculate your net worth Put together a list of all your assets (i.e., investment accounts,

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savings, real estate, etc.). Next put together a list of your liabilities (credit card balances, mortgage balance, line of credit balance, etc.). Don’t forget to make two lists – one for business and one for personal. When listing your liabilities, include the total amount owing, not your monthly payments. That should be listed under ‘cash flow’. Subtract your total liabilities from your total assets to arrive at your net worth.

This number is meaningless without knowing what you need it for, which takes us to step 3.

3. Set goals What would you like to accomplish? Think big! If you don’t set a goal, you are unlikely to achieve it. Most people want to pay off debt, save for the future and grow their business into a successful money making machine. This is great, but you need to be more specific. If retirement savings is your goal, decide at what age you want to retire and how much income per year you want. Work with a financial planner or advisor to help brainstorm goals and build a

plan to achieve your specific goals.

4. Invest wisely Do you know what your investment options are? There is a big difference between GICs and stocks, mutual funds and ETFs. There are pros and cons to each type of investment, not to mention varying levels of risk and opportunity. Take the time to learn the basics so you can make better investment decisions and understand how those decisions impact your life goals. Understand your options so you can evaluate whether it makes more sense to invest in a portfolio or invest in your business. Usually a combination of the two is best.

5. Protect your family Have you planned for the unexpected? What would happen if you were unable to work? What if you were no longer here at all?

Who would run your business?

Would there be a burden left behind, or have you put a plan in place to take care of loved ones?

Will CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) be the beneficiary of your estate? It’s important to look

at the impact from potential scenarios to ensure you’ve got the coverage in place to protect your family.

People tend to stress over money and finances and often put off looking at their financial situation.

It’s not as complicated as you might think. Work with a professional to help simplify your finances and help you feel in control. Being in control is nothing more than having an awareness of your financial situation and taking action to achieve your goals. What are you waiting for?

What does being in control of your finances mean? It’s a combination of understanding where you stand financially, spending less than you earn, and having confidence in your ability to make financial decisions (with or without the help of a trusted financial professional).

Article by Sybil Verch, host of Making Smart Financial Decisions Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on CHEK TV www.thewealthylife.com

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Making smart Ƥ Sundays 6:30pm

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Coastal Community Credit Union EXPERTISE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

What makes Coastal Community stand apart?

Each day, Coastal Community works hard to understand their members’ and clients’ needs in order to meet them with the right solutions. At their fingertips are the products, services and expertise from across their credit union’s insurance and wealth management divisions. Coastal Community calls this their integrated service approach.

Judging by their continuously strong satisfaction ratings, this is resonating with their members and clients.

What is an ITM? Think of and ITM as an ATM with a smile!

Look for Coastal Community’s new Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs), located in Downtown Victoria at 762 Fort Street, and also in their Goldstream Village location in the Westshore at 752A Goldstream Avenue.

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Coastal Community’s Interactive Teller Machines, or ITMs, combine the advantage

of extended banking hours, ease of intuitive technology and the personalized service that they are known for. ITMs deliver all of this through live video interaction.

Pick up the ITM’s handset and you’ll instantly be face-to-face with a Coastal Community expert who can perform a variety of banking transactions. This includes cheque cashing, cash and coin withdrawals, bill payments and more. Coastal Community has ITMs at both of their Victoria locations.

Coastal Community’s ITMs are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.cccu.ca

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BY SARAH PETRESCU A hidden gem of a library and reading-themed café in Fairfield is the newest venture for a design team behind several of Victoria’s trendiest businesses.

“We treated it like having a client and got to respond to the space and neighbourhood,” says Caleb Beyers, who opened Fairfield Branch coffee shop with his wife, Hanahlie Beise, this summer.

The café is tucked into the courtyard behind the Gonzales Pharmacy on Irving Street, across from Margaret Jenkins Elementary. The space is shared with business partners Aryze Construction, who have an office next door.

“The opportunity and space came up so we said, ‘Let’s do it,’” says Beyers, 34.

The couple decided to take a cue from the little free library boxes popping up in residential areas.

They wanted to differentiate their space from the hardcore coffee culture and fast-paced feel of downtown cafés, which often have magazines and newspapers.

An entire wall of their café is devoted to a curated collection of books, ranging from classics to personal favourites, available to read and borrow or trade. A collection of vintage reading-campaign inspired postcards and posters are on display and for sale. The coffee is from Bows X Arrows and baked goods are from the Salt and Pepper Fox.

Hanahlie Beise and Caleb Beyers at Fairfield Branch.

DARREN STONE

DESIGN The human touch

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Art cards designed to promote literacy.

‘Our style is very analogue.’

“People will spend the whole afternoon here, not just a coffee break,” says Beise, 36, who splits her time between the café and her alpaca and llama farm and yarn business, Hinterland Textiles, while Beyers focuses on design projects.

While the café might be the first bricksand-mortar business for the couple, the work of their design firm, Caste Projects, is all over town.

Caste designed the interiors and branding for Habit Coffee in Chinatown and the Atrium; Big Wheel Burger in Cook Street Village and the new location at Gateway Village in Saanich; and Victory Barber and Brand.

They are behind the artistic labels for Hoyne Brewing, the flashy 80s-inspired pink-andblack Pig food truck and the distinct fir-strip, nest-like pendant lights at Ulla Restaurant.

Caste also handles branding and events for Dockside Green.

The pair helped to design the interior and branding for Pyrrha jewelry’s flagship U.S. store in West Hollywood. The Vancouver brand is popular with celebrities. “We try to make stuff that has a human feel, handmade and not popped out of a factory. Our style is very analogue,” says Beyers.

One thing he’s learned from helping so many businesses come up with an identity and brand is, “to not put too much of yourself into it,” he says. “The idea is to give the business itself a character that resonates in context to where it is.”

Both Beyers and Beise are from Vancouver Island and have eclectic education and professional backgrounds. Beyers was born

to be there,” Beyers says. “There were big shifts in the tools creators had to work with and a lot happening on the Internet.”

Beise was born in Victoria, but grew up in Ucluelet and attended high school in Port Alberni. She studied fine art and photography at Emily Carr in Vancouver. Shortly after meeting Beyers in Victoria, the pair went to New York where she worked as a photography assistant for the Sartorialist and the architectural photographer Catherine Tighe.

The couple married in 2009 and lived in Vancouver for a few years before moving back to Victoria, where they seemed to always have projects.

Beise said about four years ago she felt a calling to step away from the computer and do more hands-on work such as knitting. She responded to an ad for a caretaker for several alpacas in Sooke and saw the potential for a wool business. She now has 17 rescued alpacas and a llama, which provide wool for Hinterland. The yarn is spun with French merino and hand-dyed. It is sold locally at the Beehive Wool Shop. In October, Beise plans to take a group of fibre enthusiasts to Oaxaca, Mexico for a 10-day residency in natural dyeing techniques and textile history.

Both Beyers and Beise say it’s difficult to juggle several projects and businesses. “But it has its benefits, too,” says Beyers.

They hope to expand their Branch Coffee company concept to more residential areas in the regions. “We want to bring good coffee to areas that need it so we’re looking for good locations,” he says.

in the U.K., but grew up in Sidney. He went to Stelly’s Secondary and Brentwood College, where he became a competitive rower. He later attended Harvard University to study psychology and continue rowing.

Beyers joined the staff of the Harvard Lampoon as an illustrator and editor. It was a pivotal time in the Ivy League school’s history. His colleagues at the Lampoon included Simon Rich and Colin Jost, who both became writers for Saturday Night Live; B.J. Novak, a writer for The Office; and Master of None writer and co-creator Alan Yang.

Beyers was at the school when Facebook was created and launched by Mark Zuckerberg. He didn’t know him, but rowed with the Winklevoss twins who claimed Zuckerberg stole their idea for a social media platform. “It was definitely an interesting time Capital

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A chat with KERRI MILTON Kerri Milton is the new executive director of the Downtown Victoria Business Association, arriving from a similar post in Penticton and succeeding Ken Kelly, who retired after 12 years. Capital talked with Milton about her role as the face and voice of the business improvement association.

You are a Victoria native and know the city well, but after 18 years away, describe your impressions of downtown Victoria as you start your new post.

Downtown Victoria is beautiful and unique with all the boutique shops, the Inner Harbour and the overall feeling that Victoria is growing up as a city. Victoria is a capital city, so the significance of that alone is felt downtown.

You were very popular in Penticton. Are you pulling any ideas learned there into your role?

A couple of general ideas is to create a stronger marketing department in order for our members to see what the DVBA does, what is a [business improvement association] and how it works behind the scenes. The tough part about BIA’s is trying to explain the variety of things we do as most work is done behind the scenes toward something greater. One of our quick wins so far is Field Trip Fridays. Every Friday at 1:30, I close our office and the team hits the streets, to meet new businesses, to create relationships with existing businesses.

Education grad student Mike Irvine presented his master’s project underwater and started the Fish Eye Project, an organization that brings marine research to classrooms and the world through interactive livestream shows.

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We can support our members better if we know what they do and how we can help them and of course meet them face to face.

If you or your business want to be part of Field Trip Fridays, contact our office and we’ll get you booked in.

Describe your leadership style?

Very collaborative. I do not feel any one person or organization can handle everything, so we have to work as a team. Input is hugely important and I am all about getting stuff done — less talk and more action.

What are the chief goals of the DVBA? Our No. 1 goal is to support our members.

Sometimes it’s to help navigate through city hall processes, sometimes it’s to support an event. Our job is to help bring people downtown to shop, work and play, then it’s up to the individual businesses to get them into their doors.

Homelessness and panhandling have long been problems for DVBA members. Are there additional plans are in the place to mitigate these issues?

I have had meetings with both the VicPD

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as well as service providers such as the Cool Aid Society in order to get a feel for where the gaps are specific to downtown. These problems are not unique to Victoria. Recent events have garnered national attention, but all cities have to deal with these issues and there is no immediate answer. We will continue to work with those who are experts to try and find a balance for business.

As downtown’s residential population grows, are there new issues or goals the DVBA must address?

Never before has the voice of residents been stronger. We need to listen to what is missing downtown and work with the growing resident population to bridge the relationships between the business community and the resident community. With the right balance this all leads to a stronger and more vibrant downtown.

Shopping malls are expanding around the region. How do you keep people shopping downtown?

There are two kinds of shoppers — mall shoppers and downtown shoppers. Malls cater to the box store and generic name

brand, they have free parking and everything is under one roof. Downtowns are unique and cater to the eclectic, the local and the boutique experience. There are no two stores the same and generally you also have the opportunity to meet the owners, which leads to a more personal experience. Tourists want to shop where the locals go and those are the unique shops that are mainly off the beaten track and remain in our downtowns.

Are members satisfied that they are getting their money’s worth?

The DVBA has a great reputation. It has had a strong board of directors through the years and Ken Kelly was a great leader and mentor of the BIA. We will continue to listen to the members’ needs and evolve.

Summer tourism is waning and the crowds will thin. Are there plans to keep customers coming in the shoulder season?

We recently posted for an events manager contract position. We heard the public when they said: “We need events to continue into the off-season months.” We will be bringing more community events into the downtown, and are working with strong partners.

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H E A LT H E S S E N T I A L | E X O T I C M E AT S

Something WILD

Heath-food store operator follows ancestors’ carnivore roots

B Y K AT H E R I N E D E D Y N A Plastic jugs of whey powder piled high, bags of hemp seeds, licorice root tea on the brew and Himalayan salt lamps quietly aglow.

Health Essential Supplements checks all the boxes typical for high-consciousness retailers with an unexpected twist: That would be the freezer full of exotic meats for sale from wild harvest kangaroo to water buffalo.

Tasted any wild outback camel lately?

Co-owner Tyler Jeal, 33, smiles as he recounts how he was raised a vegetarian only to embrace animal protein in some of the most unusual forms available on Vancouver Island. The impetus was his look into socalled “ancestral health — as in what did his great-grandparents eat and trying that. So he took a bite of bison pepperoni made from grass-fed giant roamers and was hooked.

“My body was so energized,” recalls the one-time manager of health sections for Thrifty Foods. Hence his own so-called health-food store that sells suet, lard, chicken hearts, and bison meat.

“For sure,” some vegan and vegetarian customers are shocked by such visceral foods amid the typically alternative ambiance. But Jeal maintains there has never really been a true vegetarian culture throughout history, saying that even in India, vegetarians consume curd and ghee — clarified butter — for essential nutrients, he said. Vegetarianism is a “a modern experiment,” says the now-confirmed carnivore.

“Animal products and fats can be “phenomenal for you, but you cannot expect good health from eating sick animals,” he said.

Which is why he’s passionate about meat from grass-fed grazing animals that roam farmers’ and ranchers’ fields in traditional ways.

Jeal and his wife, Lynn Vu, have run their operation at 300 Gorge Rd. for the last five years and find Victoria a standout place.

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Lynn Vu and and Tyler Jeal with samples of water buffalo burger, bison and kangaroo. DARREN STONE there’s so many great local shops,” says Vu. “A lot of the meat is from Island farms,” says Jeal. The camel and kangaroo come from Australia via Vancouver’s Hills Foods.

A congenial man comfy in Five Finger socks and no shoes, Jeal is off and running, very quickly, on the advantages of “ancestral health” dietary choices tried and true by our great-grandparents and beyond. “If we go back to Europe, it was bone marrow, liver, heart and often caviar, fish eggs. For West Coasters, it was seafood, salmon and berries and a lot of venison, moose and bison.

Animals grazing on grass rather than fattened in a feedlot are “eating their perfect diet in their perfect environment— which our ancestors ate wild,” Jeal says.

He visits up-Island ranches and farms whose products he stocks to see how the animals live and likes what he sees, citing Tim Mock’s Windhorse Farm in the Cowichan Valley, which he notes has full SPCA certification. It costs a lot more than conventional beef to raise, making his organic

ground beef twice as expensive as his ground kangaroo.

He pulls out a package of ground kangaroo. “Look how dark that is,” Jeal said. It’s $14.21 a kilogram, barely half the price of his organic ground beef at $26.70 a kilogram.

The difference reflects the reality that the farmer had to buy the land on Vancouver Island, while a wild kangaroo roams wherever until harvest. The deep colour of the kangaroo shows how nutrient-dense it is, with barely a fleck of fat.

“We special order steaks and roasts of camel and kangaroo, elk out of the Peace River country, and venison from New Zealand,” he said, but those are cold-weather staples. He gets his ground yak from Merritt at $22.40 a kilogram.

Not that all fat is bad. As with red meat, Jeal believes that fat gets a bad rep that’s undeserved. “We have been told to stay away from red meat because they’re inflammatory and hard to digest,” he said, eager to counter such arguments.

Grazers out on pasture, he said, are as good a source of Omega 3 as wild fish.

Enough said.

A water buffalo burger awaits.

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Dust off that fondue pot, exotic meats are gaining popularity in region

Camel, anyone?

Local grocery customers have increasingly adventurous tastes in meat.

And retailers are keen to keep up with culinary trends that include python, crocodile and kangaroo.

Market on Millstream got involved more than two years ago, while Thrifty Foods began stocking an array of exotic

meats in January in all of its stores with the exception of Salt Spring Island. And that’s only because of size constraints, says Keri Scobie of Sobeys, owner of Thrifty. Its frozen products include crocodile cubes for use in fondues as well as medallions of ostrich and elk in thinly sliced form for hot pots and sausages made from red deer.

“There’s definitely a market for it,” Scobie says, and the items will continue to be stocked. “We’re always looking at innovative things that people are looking for,” she said. Thrifty Foods buys the products from a Canadian company that specializes in exotic meat.

Those crocodile cubes cost $16.49 for 200 grams at last look, with the package prepared in Quebec noting that its texture and taste are “quite similar” to poultry.

Frozen ostrich is pricier: $18.99 for 150 grams and kangaroo burgers a bargain at $7.99 for 200 grams.

John Macaulay, meat manager at Market on Millstream, says it’s easy to access python for those with an appetite for snake

meat, but much more difficult and expensive to get rattlesnake. Recently, rattlesnake was available at $84 a pound, but it can be a year between shipments. When he can, he brings in yak and caribou meat.

The supplier is Hills Foods in Vancouver, which also offers muskox and milk-fed piglet. “I buy anything I can get from them,” Macaulay says, including elk, venison, crocodile and alligator, wild boar, ostrich, wild outback camel and wild harvest kangaroo.

Sales have increased significantly since exotic meats were first offered, he says.

“A lot of it is probably bragging rights,” he surmises. As in “Guess what I had for dinner last night?”

Save-On-Foods at the Fort and Foul Bay location stocks whole frozen rabbit from Quebec at $19.82 per kilogram and duck pot pie at $14.99 for 700 grams.

At Fairway Market’s Quadra Street location, unusual cuts of meat include beef tongue, and pork stomach and uterus.

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Baker, restaurateur rises to top of his fields with hard work, determination and a little luck

Cliff Leir’s

PHOTO: DARREN STONE

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D L I W

TRIP

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EAT

BY ADRIAN CHAMBERLAIN Twenty years ago, Cliff Leir was the screaming singer of an anarchist punk-rock band.

Now he’s director-owner of a popular restaurant and a bakery, each of them scoring national and international plaudits.

EnRoute magazine named Agrius Restaurant on Yates Street as one of the country’s top 35 restaurants.

Vogue.com singled out Leir’s Dockside Green bakery, Fol Epi, as one of Victoria’s don’t-miss hot-spots.

Last February, a Globe and Mail reviewer had this to say about Agrius: “The lamb tartare ... is hands down the brightest, tastiest, singular most impressive dish I have eaten for years.”

The salivatory superlatives kept on coming: “jaw-droppingly delicious,” “insanely sumptuous,” “my first four-star review” and “my God. I haven’t tasted a dish this sinfully buttery since Rob Feenie’s mascarpone-stuffed ravioli.”

Leir still can’t quite believe the Globe review.

“We were shocked at that. We’d only been open for a couple of months. To get that, we were all totally blown away,” he said.

The 38-year-old is a genial, unassuming fellow who looks 25.

At an interview, Leir wore a month-old beard, faded blue jeans and a white T-shirt. Minutes earlier he’d served a customer at Agrius who had plucked out a hundred-dollar bill for her baked goods (the restaurant boasts its own patisserie).

The 36-seat Agrius Restaurant opened last November. Its slowfood philosophy is simple. Prepare simple food extra carefully with the best ingredients.

The example Leir gives is a ham sandwich. The pig is from a local farm. The restaurantmade mustard uses locally grown mustard seed. Agrius grinds its own flour for the baguette. And they make the cheese with organic raw milk.

Through an indoor window, diners see meats hanging in the kitchen’s curChef ing chambers. Proscuitto is made from Sam Harris ham cured for a whole year. Agrius’s holding duck menu changes regularly — a recent one prosciutto offered pork terrine, charcuterie, with smoked beef brisket, lamb tartare, caramelized albacore tuna ceviche and kusshi oyswhey at Agrius. ters with red wine mignonette. Unusual cocktails are on offer as well, some using syrups that are a byproduct of fresh fruit used in the pastries.

Leir is a self-taught restaurateur and baker. When the Victoria native was 17 he sang with Black Kronstadt, a punk/black-metal band that played locally and once toured the U.S.

He said his screaming vocals were a youthful cry of dissatisfaction. “Part of it was being a young teenager and being frustrated with the world the way it is and wanting some better things,” Leir said.

After the band disbanded Leir got into such pursuits as fermenting food, gardening and beekeeping. In his later teens, while working at an anarchist bookstore in Victoria, he decided to build an oven in his driveway to bake bread. Each time his welfare cheque came, he’d buy a few more bricks.

Leir learned to bake by trial and error, sticking an arm in his oven to gauge the temperature.

He made sourdough bread with organic flour, sea salt and spring water. Soon Leir was selling hundreds of loaves at the Moss Street Market.

He and the mother of his first child (he has two children, ages 17 and nine) started Wildfire Bakery on Quadra Street. The couple split up.

Leir then founded Fol Epi at Dockside Green, which has been in business seven years. Between the restaurant and the bakery, he employs a staff of 60.

Agrius was originally to be a satellite pastry shop for Fol Epi. Leir then envisioned it as a combination bar-patisserie. When it was later decided Agrius would serve lunch, it seemed just a small stretch to include a dinner service.

Running a restaurant is no picnic. Overseeing a bakery and a restaurant can be, well ... downright grueling.

“I started this morning at 3 a.m.,” Leir said with a smile.

Often his days start in the middle of the night. He gulps a cup of coffee, rides his bike to Fol Epi and starts baking. Then he switches over to Agrius. Sometimes he puts in 14-hour days.

“Possibly more,” Leir said.

“It depends if you count the business emails and stuff.”

Seldom does he take a weekend off. Leir shrugs it off as a “lifestyle.” It is exhausting and also invigorating. Working with great people helps.

In the 11 months since Agrius opened, Leir has learned many lessons. For instance, most things take longer than you might think. And most end up costing more than anticipated.

Because the restaurant uses superior ingredients and invests extra time in creating (from scratch) the ingredients and recipes, prices are higher than average.

“But we have lower [profit] margins than most restaurants because we’re still trying to keep it within reach. We’re trying to encourage people to eat better food on a regular basis,” Leir said.

Again, the notion is simple. People will pay more — and become regulars — if the product is superior. You don’t have to be a gourmet to know when food tastes wonderful.

“I think that’s the common denominator that everyone can relate to. You can eat it. And it’s good,” Leir said.

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CITYSCAPE Construction projects on the drawing boards and on the go in Greater Victoria 989 Johnson

1075 Pandora

Municipality: Victoria Developer: Cox Developments of Victoria, led by father-and-son team of Steve and Dan Cox. Description: 15- and 17-storey towers with 205 condominiums and ground floor commercial. The building is going up on the former McCall Bros. Funeral Home parking lot at the corner of Vancouver and Johnson streets. The project’s sales centre will be across the street in a building that previously housed the funeral home. The site includes a John Di Castri-designed chapel and gathering space built in 1955 and an administration office built in 1961. No long-term plan has been finalized for the building.

Status: Excavation underway. Expected completion in two to two and a half years.

Value: Not disclosed.

Municipality: Victoria Developer: Cox Developments of Victoria Description: The 134-unit rental building is designed to foster a community feeling among tenants. It features 12 storeys of rental units on top of 6,800 square feet of ground-floor commercial.

Amenities include an indoor children’s play area, a sculpture and art garden, and an interactive blackboard for residents, bicycle parking outside every unit and underground parking with 108 spaces.

Status: Construction started at the end of August 2015 and occupancy is planned for September 2017.

Value: Construction cost of just under $30 million.

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Colwood Corners Municipality: Colwood Developer: Onni Developments of Vancouver Description: Onni is planning 150,000 square feet of commercial/retail space and 284 rental units in phase one. Further plans on the 12.5-acre site are being studied and the developer is in discussions with the municipality. If all goes smoothly, construction will start in 2017. Onni bought the site after original developer League Assets went into receivership.

Status: Still in planning stage.

Value: Not available.

The Summit at Quadra Village Municipality: Victoria Developer: Island Heath and the Capital Regional Hospital District Description: A 24-hour care facility for seniors with complex needs and those with dementia will have 320 beds, plus daycare programs on its 3.5-acre site, once a playing field for Blanshard School. The 955 Hillside Ave. facility will replace the aging Oak Bay Lodge and Mount Tolmie Hospital facilities.

Status: Ground was broken in June and construction is expected to be finished in spring 2019.

Value: $86 million.

Turner Building Municipality: Victoria Developer: Island Cardiology Holdings Ltd. Description: The familiar roundedcorner on the old Turner building at 2002 Richmond Rd., will be saved in redevelopment plans for a 29,000-square-foot office building standing the equivalent of six storeys. A two-storey ground-floor atrium creates what is actually a five-storey building. A coffee shop and rehabilitation centre will be at street level, with cardiologists’ offices above. A 23-unit rental building is planned on an adjacent lot.

Status: Application is in at Victoria City Hall. If approved, construction could start by early 2017. It would take about two years to build.

Value: Not available.

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1002-1008 and 1012 Pandora Municipality: Victoria Developer: Bluesky Properties, a Robert Bosa family company, of Vancouver.

Description: A 200,000-square-foot building with 209 rental units and ground-floor commercial. The units will be retained as rental for at least 10 years. Building height will range from four storeys to six storeys and include two levels of underground parking.

Status: The project is underway. The former St. Andrew’s School has been demolished. Construction is set for completion by early 2019.

Value: About $70 million in construction costs.

Triple Crown Municipality: Langford Developer: McCallum Developments of Langford.

Description: An eight-acre comprehensive development zone allowing a mix of uses. The first phase is 30 contemporary townhouses of two and three storeys running from 905 Whirlaway Cres. to 961 Pharaoh Mews. Prices start at $430,000. The developer is designing a condominium project next.

Status: Market demand will determine further building phases.

Value: Not available.

Legato Developer: Alpha Project Developments Ltd. Description: Ground-floor commercial with 88 condominiums above.

The 960 Yates St. highrise was designed with views in mind for residents. Features in the 18-storey project include electric car charging station, rooftop rain garden, outdoor kitchen, fitness room, craft room, underground parking and a fulltime caretaker.

Status: Under construction.

Finish late 2017 or early 2018.

Value: Construction cost of about $26 million.

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The Meridian Municipality: Sidney Developer: The Marker Group Description: A five-storey building with 24 condominium units and one ground-level live-work unit. The 9818 Third St. project is sold out. Its exterior finish includes brick work, to tie in with the historic downtown Sidney Post Office Building on Beacon Avenue.

Status: Scheduled to be finished in October.

Cost: Not available.

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Mayfair Shopping Centre Municipality: Victoria Developer: Ivanhoe Cambridge Description: Mayfair, 3147 Douglas St., is building 100,000 square feet of new retail space, adding a 500-spot rooftop parkade, with its own escalator, updating the interior of the mall including lights and furniture, and improving entrances. Fashion and lifestyle retailers will face Douglas Street.

Status: Expected to be finished by fall 2018.

Value: $72 million Capital

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Gateway Municipality: Sidney Developer: Omicron, with offices in Victoria, Vancouver and Calgary.

Description: 100,000 square feet on 10 acres of land leased from the Victoria Airport Authority. Possible tenants include a grocery store, fast-food outlets, medical services and financial and insurance offices. A pedestrian overpass linking Gateway with Beacon Avenue over the Patricia Bay Highway is part of the proposal. Gateway is a

Lyra Residences Municipality: Saanich Developer: RHT 1 Ltd., a partnership between Dan Doore’s Aploamdo Developments of Victoria and Grant Rogers’ Marker Group of Sidney.

Description: Named after a constellation, Lyra Residences at 4027 Rainbow St. on Christmas Hill will be developed in two steel-and-concrete towers. The first will be nine storeys with 39 units and the second will be eight storeys with 38 units. All units are two-bedrooms, running from 1,075 square feet to 1,185 square feet. Prices start in the low $600,000s.

Amenities include views, access to nearby trails and park, underground parking and a community room.

Status: Construction is expected to start on the nine-storey tower this fall and on the second building in January. Each will take about 20 months to complete.

Cost: Not available.

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contentious project because existing downtown Sidney businesses fear they will lose business to the new mall. To the north, another project called Sandown Commons is proposed in North Saanich.

Status: Sidney council voted 5-2 in favour after a public hearing.

Construction to start in the spring.

Value: $35 million plus another $3 million for a pedestrian overpass.

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CRAZY FOR KILT Garment of the Scots is a pure passion for Victoria designer Steve Ashton

Steve Ashton painstakingly sews a dress-blue tartan in his Fernwood Road Shop.

The history and romance of Scotland is in every stitch.

ADRIAN LAM PHOTO

B Y K AT H E R I N E D E D Y N A Victoria’s Steve Ashton goes the distance —frequently eight full yards of tartan — when it comes to creating high-quality kilts. His Freedom Kilts in Fernwood stitches up the real deal for $350 plus fabric, almost always 100 per cent wool from the U.K. “We make all of our kilts right here in our shop,” he says. “They can have 100 per cent handstitched or machine stitched.” Either way, it takes 32 hours for a man-sized knife-pleated kilt. Many bolts of fabric can be found in the downstairs “catacombs” of the 1910 heritage house where he does business, and more than 2,000 tartan samples are on hand upstairs.

Freedom Kilts constructs between 100 and 150 kilts per year,

with Ashton’s claim to fame as “the guy who developed the contemporary kilt.” Unlike traditional kilts pegged to the waist, his version is worn lower on the hips and often has inside pockets.

“The customers tell me where they want to wear the waist, what fabric, whether they want pockets. You’re not buying something off the rack,” he said.

Ashton came to kiltmaking 12 years ago after the Victoria kayak design company he worked for moved to Minnesota.

He saw a TV fashion show that included a male model in a camouflage kilt. “I spent 20 years in the military and I thought, “I could wear that.’ ”

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With a masters degree in marine engineering from the University of Michigan, the former helicopter pilot figured he could make them, too.

“The kilt is a male garment,” he insists.

“For women, it’s a ladies tartan pleated skirt.” Freedom is sewing those skirts for the female wait staff at The Irish Times, using the Victoria City of Gardens tartan he designed in 2010.

Freedom also makes the kilts for Victoria’s Canadian Scottish Regiment and for both the Victoria and the Vancouver garrisons of the 78th Fraser Highlanders.

He taught kiltmaking with New York expert Barbara Tewksbury, author The Art of Kiltmaking — over six days together in August in Victoria and he’s writing the companion book, The Art of Contemporary Kiltmaking, that he expects to be published in 2017.

Ashton says there used to be four kiltmakers in Victoria. Now there are two — Freedom and North of Hadrian’s in View Royal. Ashton taught both owners of North of Hadrian’s how it’s done before they went on their own about a year ago.

Most kilt shops on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile carry Pakistan-made kilts priced from $80 to $120, Ashton claims, and they have their place, he says. “The average tourist cannot go to Scotland and drop $1,000. It is filling a need.”

“You can buy a tourist thing and wear it once, or you could buy a kilt,” he said.

Ashton extracts a subtle grey Highland Granite tartan example from an selection he has for rent. With impeccable handstitched tailoring, it weighs four pounds.

He also works with machine washable rayon blends, polyester cottons and 100 per cent cotton.

Ashton keeps an acrylic kilt on the premises so that customers who have seen so-called souvenir kilts in Edinburgh or online discount kilts can tell the difference. “People say: ‘I just came back from Scotland and I could get a kilt for 20 pounds.’ Yes, you can get a kilt for 20 pounds, this is what you’re going to get.”

There’s not much fabric and it’s not woven in Scotland. There’s not even a mention on the label of where it was made.

Brian Wilton, a consultant with the Scottish Tartans Authority, is familiar with Ashton and his work.

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Steve Ashton carefully stitches a kilt with the Victoria City of Gardens Tartan he designed in 2010. Staff at the Irish Times pub wear them. ADRIAN LAM PHOTO “Good for our friend and colleague Steve Ashton who, like so many kindred kilt makers here, is intent on maintaining the traditional qualities and heritage value of hand-sewn kilts,” he writes in an email from Perthshire.

“The history and romance of Scotland is stitched into each one of them and they’ll still be around when their inferior doppelgängers have long been consigned to the recycling bin.”

Scottish kilt experts say authentic kilts and kiltmaking are under siege in Scotland, with shops lining Edinburgh’s Royal Mile featuring inexpensive Asian-made acrylic versions while aging kiltmakers accustomed to fine fabrics cut corners to survive.

Scottish kiltmaker Nicola Laird recently established the Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy to counteract the mass importation of “souvenir kilts” and relieve the pressure on aging kiltmakers, she says in an email.

Since January, Laird has trained 16 kiltmakers and started another course with 19 students, trying to compensate for the influence of a family that owns several Edinburgh stores and has turned “one of the most historic streets in Scotland” into a tourist trap filled with rubbishy Highland wear, she wrote.

Most traditional kiltmakers are in their

60s and 70s, self-employed and afraid to train people who might compete with them. “The workrooms that have been around do not teach kiltmakers from start to finish, as they are afraid they will move on and work for themselves so only teach parts of the process and work as a factory line process,” Laird says.

“This, along with poor wages have almost put traditional kiltmaking on the verge of extinction to be replaced with machine-made and imported goods.”

Wilton said the Scottish tartan industry sees a silver lining in cheap imported kilts: “The great majority of those kilts were bought by young lads looking for something ethnic to wear to a sports [event], or a night out with the boys. None of them would be eager — or possibly affluent enough — to buy a really good kilt just to spill beer over.

“So the cheap imported articles introduced kilt-wearing to a whole new generation, the majority of whom will probably convert to the real heritage item when they’re older — especially for their weddings where their brides won’t let them be seen dead in a poly-viscose ersatz kilt!”

Still, the cheap kilts can give tourists “a very false impression” of what constitutes traditional Scottish tartan and attire, especially when retailers mix the cheap import with “Made in Scotland” items.

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‘Everybody looks good in a

kilt’

B Y K AT H E R I N E D E D Y N A Jackson Wagner boasts 26 kilts to his name, as befits a man who co-owns a niche business known as North of Hadrian’s, named for the traditional, if not the actual, border separating Scotland from England.

That’s one kilt for every year since Wagner, now 43, gave up trousers and began to rely on 27 knife pleats.

That’s a whole lot of tartan we’re talking, and Wagner and co-owner Justin Guthrie are more than happy to talk tartan, unfurl tartan and sew tartan any day of the week. “We have just taken kilt order 151 since we’ve been in this location,” Wagner said. Before that, they ran the 1965 Pfaff industrial machine in Wagner’s Langford garage: Now they’re designing a tartan for that city.

Nestled between the View Royal Reading Centre and Top Dog Pizza, North of Hadrian’s is close enough to downtown, but also to the West Shore. Their former employer, Steve Ashton, established Freedom Kilts 12 years ago and operates from a large heritage house in Fernwood.

All these kiltmakers respect the garment, but differed on the way of the future of the business, the North men say. The Hadrian’s men don’t hesitate to joke about Scottish regalia, letting you know that the only thing under their kilts is their shoes.

They stock canned haggis for $12 and Bru, a rust-coloured Scottish soda pop, for $4.50, along with traditional items such as the Sgian dubh — Gaelic for single-edged knife tucked into the calf of woollen knee socks when out Highlanding.

North of Hadrian’s is a nod to the furthest

The lads love the tartans. Jackson Wagner, left, and Justin Guthrie work on kilts at North of Hadrian’s Kilts and Celtic Clothing. outpost of the Roman Empire in 122 AD, when Hadrian was emperor and the wall got underway. It specializes in made-to-order kilts of any size from huge to infant size — and even smaller, judging from the teensy black watch number adorning their Darth Vader mascot. They also outfit the giant bear mascot outside the Royal Scot Hotel downtown Victoria.

The store stocks handcrafted leather and sheepskin sporrans — locally made as much as possible — jewelry and glassware emblazoned with family names.

Kilts are “technically a non-gendered garment,” said Guthrie, who finds wearing a kilt all day much like wearing a towel around his waist. Once a woman reaches a certain size, box pleats are thought to be more flattering than the box pleats of a male kilt. No matter the size of the man, there are male-friendly fabrics that can be popped in the washer and dryer.

Most of the work they do is custom, as one would expect, given the stacks of tartan swatches from which to order. In general, an adult kilt of wool tartan from Scotland costs $599 and solid colour fabrics, such as cottons or poly/cottons and rayons cost $299. “Those are great for people who are allergic to wool,” said Wagner. “If someone brings in their own fabric, we will judge if it is kilt-worthy and then we’ll make the kilt.”

The amount of fabric varies from five to 10.5 yards depending on the hip size and “the set” — the size of the pattern in the tartan.

“Pleats can vary from 10 to as many 50.

There’s no set-in-stone number,” Wagner said.

A kilt, an intensely constructed garment, can take from 12 to 30 hours to make, depending on what is involved.

“We start by looking at the person’s shape, and each pleat is individually shaped and tapered to get the finished product of a well tailored kilt.”

The shop gives a 10 per cent discount for people who work in emergency services.

Hadrian’s is providing the kilts for the Wounded Warrior organization in its namesake tartan and is about to outfit the staff at the newly opened Victoria Caledonia Distillery with Cameron of Erracht tartan.

They’re also happy to “re-engineer” heavy tweed coats and sports jackets into shorter coatees for wear with kilts. A couple of racks are hung with Hunting Stewart kilts under repair for the Canadian Scottish Regiment.

About 80 per cent of kilt customers are men right now, but “it shifts from season to season,” Wagner added.

And of course, you don’t have to be Scottish.

“We believe that there is no such thing as someone who can’t wear a kilt. Everybody looks good in kilt.”

PHOTO: DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST

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Surfrider partners with Island businesses to save our seas

T

he Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches. Over the past few years, Surfrider volunteers have seen waste from human activities affecting our marine wildlife at an alarming rate. In March 2016, Surfrider Vancouver Island partnered with the Vancouver Island Green Business Certification (VIGBC) Program to create a unified effort to minimize the impacts of single use plastics on our beautiful coast.

Approximately 90 per cent of the waste found on local beaches during Surfrider’s regular beach cleanups is single-use plastics such as straws, cups and plastic bags. Plastics in the environment affect the entire food chain, right down to the food we eat. The Surfrider-VIGBC partnership drives environmental change in the community, led by local businesses.

The Vancouver Island Green Business Certification Program was developed based on the idea that business can prosper symbiotically with the environment. The Program engages businesses in implementing actions that drive real environmental change. By shifting current practices, we can integrate our economy with local ecosystems, enabling both to thrive.

VIGBC certifies restaurants, offices, retails shops, and salons as Silver, Gold or Green based on the number of sustainability actions they have implemented. Sector specific checklists outline 42 to 52 actions that minimize environmental impacts of building and operations, waste, water, transportation, purchasing and products, and recognize climate action and social efforts. The Surfrider partnership added ‘Surfrider Points’ on the checklists and focus on initiatives that have a direct and positive impact on our oceans and waterways.

To achieve ‘Surfrider Approved’ status, businesses must implement three out of the four noted Surfrider points. Some of the points include: • Business does not distribute single-use plastic bags to customers (mandatory) • Straws are only provided on request or compostable straws are used instead of plastic straws • No single use products purchased for staff kitchen supplies (eg. coffee cartridges, sugar packs, stir sticks) Displaying a ‘Surfrider Approved’ decal on businesses’ shop doors signals to customers, other business owners and the community that the business is actively protecting local beaches and waterways by reducing unnecessary single-use plastic waste in the establishment.

“The most inspiring part of our partnership with VIGBC has been getting to meet business owners who are just as passionate about protecting our marine eco-systems as our Surfrider volunteers.

Businesses not only recognize that we need them to CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

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PHOTO: Jen Steele

HABIT COFFEE at the Atrium achieved its highest, GREEN, VIGBC Certification by implementing a number of green initiatives in a variety of categories, including energy use, waste creation and disposal, water use and social impact.

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49

be part of the solution, but they very much want to be part of the solution, they just need to know how,” said Gillian Montgomery, Chapter Manager at VI Chapter Surfrider Foundation Canada.

To achieve the Surfrider Approved rating, some businesses have had to get quite creative with their initiatives. Cascadia Liquor Stores in the CRD have stopped providing plastic carry bags, and switched to biodegradable bags for selling ice. AJ’s Organic took on the challenge of sourcing compostable straws when they weren’t available from their

50

standard supplier. Hughesman Morris CPAs has researched faucet filtration systems on their taps so they could eliminate the need for bottled water.

There is no doubt that the Surfrider Program has, within its first six months, had a great impact in the CRD with 38 per cent of the 90 businesses certified by VIGBC having achieved Surfrider Approved status. These businesses can be found at www.vigbc.ca.

Surfrider and VIGBC boast a robust roster of 35 Surfrider Approved businesses including: Goldstream Bicycles, Hemp and Company, Birrer Sangret, Patagonia Victoria, Hughesman

FALL 2016

Morris CPAs, Pacific Rim College, JC Scott Eco Design, The Condo Group, Oak Bay Bicycles (Westshore), Axys Technologies, Royal Bay Bakery, Forrester’s Bistro and Bar at Olympic View Golf Club, Ingredients, Vancity (Langford), Metropol, Growlies, Habit Coffee (Atrium), Habit Coffee (Chinatown), Stephen Whipp Financial, Indigenous Perspectives Society, Cascadia (Uptown), Cascadia (Colwood), Cascadia (Quadra), Cascadia Liquor (Eagle Creek), Cascadia (Langford), Be Love, Canoe Brewpub, FreshCoast Health Food Bar, Good Planet Company, Tartan Group, Synergy Enterprises, AJ’s

Organic, Butterfly Gardens, and Coastline Surf and Sport.

Choosing to shop, eat, and do business at companies like the Surfrider Approved businesses, means you can feel good knowing that you are supporting businesses that take their responsibility to the environment seriously.

VIGBC is currently meeting with Surfrider Pacific Rim to expand the partnership to the Tofino/Ucluelet area, and will most likely tailor the program to that region, taking into consideration smaller business size up island and Surfrider Pacific Rim’s current environmental guidelines for businesses.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

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D

Catch basin 101

id you know that stormwater is the largest source of pollution to our local creeks and marine environment? If you own a business or a building with a parking lot or other paved surface, you can help prevent pollution by maintaining the catch basins on your property.

Catch basins are common in parking lots and on streets. They are chambers, usually covered by grates, that collect stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces and discharge it to nearby water bodies, such as streams, wetlands or the ocean.

When it rains, stormwater runs over paved surfaces and picks up oil, grease, litter and other debris.

Catch basins are designed to remove these pollutants from the water by allowing solids to settle and light debris to float. However, if a catch basin is full or clogged when it rains it can release those contaminants into our waterways and cause flooding.

Property owners are responsible for servicing catch basins on their property. Some municipalities have bylaws that require regular catch basin maintenance and inspection, so it’s best to check with your local municipality for more information.

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR CATCH BASIN 1. Keep the grate clear of debris. Clogged grates prevent water from draining freely, which can lead to flooding.

2. Inspect your catch basin regularly. If solids in the unit are more than halfway to the outlet pipe, it’s time to clean it out.

3. Remove sediment buildup.

Hire a qualified company to pump out your catch basin. A list of service providers is available on the CRD website.

For more information on catch basins, and to find a service provider, visit www.crd.bc.ca/catchbasin.

Catch basins, found in large parking lots and other paved surfaces, can collect pollutants and debris like oil, car grease and cigarette butts. If a catch basin is full or clogged when it rains, it can flood property and release contaminants into our waterways and the ocean.

You are responsible for cleaning out the catch basins on your property.

For information on how to maintain your catch basins and for a list of service providers, visit www.crd.bc.ca/catchbasin.

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Living Green is a Way of Life at Spirit Bay

O

ne of the defining features of Spirit Bay, the new village woven into the seaside landscape of Metchosin near Victoria, B.C., is an abiding respect for nature and a commitment to working in true partnership with the local indigenous community.

Spirit Bay is the result of a precedent-setting partnership between the Trust for Sustainable Development (Trust) and the Beecher Bay First Nation (BBFN). Typically developers will lease property from First Nations and undertake development themselves. In the case of Spirit Bay, the ownership of the development company is shared by the Trust (49 per cent) and BBFN (51 per cent) allowing them to meaningfully participate in the long term revenues and benefits.

For 25 years the Trust has been developing communities that work in harmony with nature.

Communities where people live together and grow together; where energy use is low, but the energy of the people is high. All of that experience comes together at Spirit Bay. It is built with people as a priority, not cars. The town has been designed to be walkable, pedestrian friendly and include several natural and built amenities.

Spirit Bay is a net positive generator of energy and its buildings are heated and cooled 52

FALL 2016

by the use of an ocean-based, geothermal system. The shallow soils are enriched with compost, and community orchards and gardens are designed as gathering places. Rain falls from non-toxic metal roofs while runoff from narrow roads is directed to bio-swales designed to clean runoff naturally and re-introduce water back to the ground as close to source as possible. Night skies will remain dark because we have minimized light pollution – Spirit Bay will be a Dark Sky Community.

The homes at Spirit Bay are placed on the contours of the land; they are “fitted� to the landscape with minimal land disturbance. This is in contrast to the more common technique of blasting and levelling the landscape to remove contours and create a level building site on which homes are built side-by side. The overarching design ethic at Spirit Bay is one of allowing the landscape to inform the design.This style of building adds character to the community and creates remarkable settings for a wide range of homes available: from 600 square-foot cottages nestled in the woods to 2,500+ square-foot homes on the waterfront, in price ranges that will attract a wide variety of buyers and a broad demographic.

The homes with their bright colours are reminiscent of seaside fishing villages found

around the world. Board and batten exteriors epitomize a cottage feel while metal roofs and quality construction ensure a long life. Each home also features a one-of-kind cupola that is both decorative yet practical, as it allows passive cooling in the summer along with the appeal of additional, diffused light.

Spirit Bay is a place for people who value a strong sense of community, have a real appreciation for beauty and a passion for the lands that anchor our homes and the waters that sustain and enrich us.

Come see how we are respecting nature in everything we do at this exciting seaside village. info@spiritbay.ca www.spiritbay.ca ADVERTISING FEATURE

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A SEASIDE VILLAGE BASED ON HUMAN HAPPINESS

Spirit Bay is a new community where every planning decision is designed to promote happiness, wellness and sustainability.

Woven into the oceanside landscape on the south coast of Vancouver Island is a vibrant, close-knit, sustainable community - Spirit Bay. Come explore this beautiful place, where the community works in harmony with the natural environment, where every building, road and pathway promotes human interaction, and where the site provides unprecedented access to the ocean.

To ďŹ nd out more info@spiritbay.ca or visit us in Metchosin at 4901 East Sooke Road.

spiritbay.ca

Come and experience Happiness by Design!

Seaside Village Homes from the $400’s to $1 Million +

SHOW HOMES OPEN Thursday to Sunday

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CHARGE

®

Innovation that excites

DRIVE REPEAT 2016

NISSAN LEAF Models start from

Fuel Economy (up to)*

25,988

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*Incl.

REBATE

City: 1.9Le/100km Hwy: 2.3Le/100km

VEHICLE OVERVIEW Electrify your drive with all energy, no exhaust. Wake up fully charged, and get where you’re going with swift power out of the gate. Change course: Take the scenic route, stay out longer with confidence. Embrace the future in the world’s best-selling fully electric car. The 2016 Nissan Leaf®. A whole new outlook on life.

210km

IT’S THAT EASY E

lectrify your drive with all energy and no exhaust.

Wake up fully charged and get where you’re going with swift power out of the gate. Take the scenic route, stay out longer with confidence. Embrace the future in the world’s best-selling fully electric car, the 2016 Nissan LEAF®.

On average, most people drive less than 42 kilometres a day.

Nissan LEAF® can take you four times that on a single charge. Just plug it in to charge overnight and in the morning you’ll be ready to go, with tools to help you manage your range along the way. Of course, driving at moderate, more constant speeds is always a good idea. You can even switch to Eco mode to improve your range up to 10 per cent in certain conditions.

With Nissan LEAF®, the little things can make a big difference.

And for added peace of mind, Nissan provides three years of complimentary roadside assistance.

“FILL UP” AT HOME FASTER THAN EVER

Visit Western Canada’s #1 Leaf Dealer and make your best deal today! www.campusnissan.com 3361 OAK STREET

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FALL 2016

With the 240-volt home charging dock, Nissan LEAF® charges in as little as five hours. All you have to do is plug it in, like you would your laptop or cell phone. To take advantage of offpeak rates, you can set a charging timer right on the dash.

NISSAN CONNECT

Google® Search for a local yoga

class. Call hands-free to invite friends to dinner. Find the closest charging station on your route. All the while, your hand-picked music and podcasts, SiriusXM®, traffic information and more are just a swipe or a tap away.

NissanConnectSM makes it all possible, working seamlessly together through your smartphone and Nissan LEAF®’s highresolution, 178 mm (7.0”) colour touch-screen with tap and swipe control. Nissan LEAF® also helps keep you in the loop with the Nissan Navigation System (featuring Voice Recognition), hands-free text messaging assistant, Bluetooth® hands-free calling and streaming audio, and two iPod®/USB connection ports.

THE

TOOLS TO GO THE DISTANCE There are plenty of tools right on your dashboard to help you get the most out of every charge. You’ll always see your battery level, and how many kilometres remain in your driving range. You won’t have to guess if you are driving efficiently. The power meter shows how much power you’re using and generating, thanks to Nissan LEAF®’s regenerative braking system that captures the energy created while you coast or brake and recycles it back into the power supply. And if you’re doing really well, you’ll grow a virtual forest on the Eco drive indicator.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

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Leading the charge in sustainability and education

A

s a family-owned and operated business, Alpine Group has continued to serve the community of Greater Victoria for over 30 years.

Becoming the largest independently owned disposal and recycling company on Vancouver Island, Alpine Group strives to better the community while promoting living in a more eco-friendly way. Founded

by Stewart Young in 1984, Alpine Group began its journey with just one garbage truck, and has now developed into a multi-faceted corporation operating all across British Columbia.

Embracing its humble beginnings and the community that helped grow the company to its size and success today, you’ll find Alpine Group participating in a community events across BC. The CIBC Run for the Cure, Golf for Kids, Rugby 7’s, Oaklands Market, Brewery & the Beast, Comfy Kids Recycling Event,

Langford Legion, Juan de Fuca Fishing Derby, and the Langford Costco Fundraising for BC Children’s Hospital, are just a few of the community events, programs and initiatives Alpine Group has taken part in recently.

Living green and building vibrant communities also means leading the charge when it comes to sustainability and education.

Community bottle drives, electronic recycling, wood recycling, and school recycling programs, are all part of Alpine Groups on-going initiative to build better communities.

Of course, growing a successful business and building vibrant communities doesn’t come without hard work. Hard work from the many dedicated, long-term, Alpine Group employees that live right here in our communities.

Employing hundreds of people all throughout BC, Alpine Group is

VERONIQUE GAGNON PHOTOGRAPHY

proud to say that each employee comes to work and treats the company as if it was their own family’s business. Each and every employee has made a tremendous impact on the company, and plays a large part in making Alpine Group one of the leading service providers in BC. If you’re like most people in the capital region you probably recognize the green and yellow Alpine logo, that’s because… well it’s everywhere. The Alpine Group adopts the “We Do It All” slogan, in order to make life easier for all of

DROP BY 1045 DUNFORD AVE. RECYCLING & WASTE DEPOT CALL 250-474-5145 FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS!

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their loyal customers. For more than 30 years the Alpine Group has successfully become one of the most experienced, community-driven and loyal companies in the province. By working all throughout Greater Victoria, the Alpine Group has successfully raised awareness and continues to build a better community that is clean, safe and friendly.

You can learn more about Alpine Group and their many services by visiting their website www.AlpineGroup.ca

OTTLE DEPOT ISPOSAL & RECYCLING OLL OFF BINS PORARY FENCING & TOILETS OIL MART ER SERVICE WELDING & FABRICATION I EAVY DUTY TRUCK REPAIR E AR SALES & DETAIL UTO REPAIR TAIN DINER ARINE SALES & SERVICE IDNEY SPIT FERRY IER BISTRO

Demolition Waste Wood Furniture Household Recycling Yard & Garden Drywall Metal and so much more!

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED FOR OVER 30 YEARS

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Green Businesses Make Great Employers

By Kayli Anderson Synergy Enterprises

T

he emerging workforce is looking beyond business as usual and expecting more from their employment than a simple paycheque. It is becoming critical for people to see their values ref lected in the workplace. In a time when as little as 30% of Canadians are staying in any one job for over four years, creating engaging work environments can help businesses attract top talent. From increased productivity to improved staff retention, businesses are seeing value in strong corporate social responsibility programs.

Inn at Laurel Point Located in the inner harbour, Inn at Laurel Point is one of the most stunning places to work in Victoria. As a social enterprise, supporting and investing in their colleagues is part of the inn’s corporate DNA. Inspiring curiosity while striving for excellence, the team at Inn at Laurel Point prefer people to count on their inner resources and f lexibility over rigid policies and procedures. The carbon neutral hotel boasts the best the industry has to offer in work culture, perks, competitive wages and comprehensive benefits. Inn at Laurel point offers f lexible work hours, complimentary daily staff meals, team events as well as internal and industry discounts.

2XJKWUHG &RɣHH 7HD Oughtred is a second generation, family-owned company and they treat their staff like kin.

Striving to create an engaging workplace in which people can learn and grow, Oughtred invests in their staff through workplace training, trips to source (Costa Rica, Guatemala, etc.) and tuition assistance, helping them build strong and meaningful careers. Oughtred also provides comprehensive group health and dental plans, and f lexible schedules. The result is a strong, diverse and knowledgeable team that keeps them forward thinking and innovative.

7DUWDQ *URXS The Tartan Group is a prime example of ‘practice what you preach.’ Focused on global, integrated marketing and communications for sustainable business and tourism destinations, Tartan’s work culture is rooted in corporate social responsibility. This year, they took the steps to become a certified BCorp. BCorps, are ‘for-profit companies that are certified by the non-profit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.’ This includes providing their staff with comprehensive benefits, extended parental leave, and f lexible work schedules, not to mention all the travel opportunities!

WildPlay WildPlay’s mission is to engage people in outdoor adventure experiences – challenging everyone’s perception of life’s possibilities, and inspiring limitless evolution. WildPlay provides the support, development, and opportunities to see their staff grow and thrive from within the company and beyond. Leadership and learning opportunities abound. For those interested in getting involved in environmental initiatives, becoming a “green champion” through the Treading Lightly Sustainability Program is the path to take. The program aligns their Parks around best practices in sustainability, engaging and empowering both staff and guests to make a difference in their daily lives.

GREEN Business Attracting top talent with values-based approach

Spinnakers Working at Spinnakers, Victoria’s oldest gastro brewpub, means being part of a thriving ecosystem. The brewers, bakers, chocolatiers, chefs, pastry chefs, cooks and bartenders work together, challenging each other to create delicious and unique food and drink. Ingredients from one part of the business are often used as inputs to others, like their beer-based artisan breads and house-made malt vinegar. In addition to an inspiring and collaborative work environment, Spinnakers provides comprehensive benefits, competitive wages, and opportunities to participate in countless craft beer events throughout the year. The brewpub also has an incomesharing program which gives full-time staff a kick-back from percentage of net income.

Pizzeria Prima Strada Pizzeria Prima Strada is a valuesbased organization. Respect, teamwork, constant improvement and community are key to the business’s success. The team shares these values along with a passion for hospitality and of course, delicious Neapolitan Pizza. To better understand where their ingredients come from, staff tour local producers: coffee roasters, farms, breweries and wineries. The team members have journeyed to Italy to experience Neapolitan pizza and Southern Italian cuisine first hand. This fall, Prima Strada is launching a tree planting initiative allowing staff to volunteer their time planting trees to offset the wood used in the making of their delicious pizza.

Eat well and do good at your favourite neighbourhood pizzeria!

Productivity, loyalty and job satisfaction all improve when businesses ensure that the health and wellness of their staff and the environment are top priorities.

Synergy Enterprises is a local company that works with businesses who want to be leaders in sustainability. Our team has developed award-winning services for businesses to green their operations and communicate their results.

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THE GANG’S ALL HERE 58

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ALL IN THE FAMILY

Russell Books reached two anniversaries this year, and the family clan gathered for a photo on the upper floor of the sprawling Fort Street bookstore. This is the 25th year since Russell Books opened in Victoria. It’s also 55 years since the original bookstore, the Book Nook, was opened in Montreal by the late Reginald Russell. His daughter, Diana, and her husband, Ron DePol, started the downtown Victoria store. Their daughter, Andrea, and her husband, Jordan Minter, who have four children, manage the business. From left to right, Andrea and four-month-old Jasper, brother Chad DePol, and Diana and Ron. Jordan is holding Abby Minter, 4. In the front row, from left to right are Aliyah Minter, 9, Ava DePol, 7, and directly behind her is Ivey DePol, 3. On the lower right is Jacob Minter, 6.

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Dutch Bakery and Diner owners and cousins Brook Schaddelee, Michele Byrne and Jack Schaddelee are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the popular family-owned restaurant at 718 Fort St. The trio became owners in 2013. Kees

DUTCH TREATS

Schaddelee founded the bakery after moving to Victoria from the Netherlands with his family in the 1950s.

30 YEARS

ACCENT ON FUN

Victoria’s Farmer family, owners of the Accent Inns across B.C. and the Hotel Zed in Victoria and Kelowna, recounts 10 of the most interesting moments from the past three decades:

• A construction guy with his construction partners openS up a hotel on a former blackberry patch north of downtown Victoria. People are shocked as it’s on the wrong side of the street and is apparently doomed to fail. Within 10 years, the company expands to five locations around the province.

• The huge leap to change the dowdy Stay ’n Save brand to the more current Accent Inns. Ack, it begins with an A and people assume we’ve been bought

by Americans!

• The first “Treat Time” occurred at the head office of Accent Inns. It became a tradition and has been repeated every Friday at 3 p.m., for three decades.

Please don’t call at 3 p.m. on a Friday.

We’re busy.

• In 1997, we launched our first website. It was pretty lame. It’s much nicer now. (accentinns.com) • In 2000, Terry, the president, calls in Mandy the sales manager, to let her know he does not approve of the man she is dating. She tells him to mind his own business, politely of course.

• In 2010 the rubber duck is born! Who doesn’t love seeing a rubber duck in

the bathroom, even if the first time you notice it is when you, ahem, sit down.

• In 2011, Accent Inns decides to become the most bike-friendly hotel chain in the world! C’mon, just try to name another bike-friendly hotel chain … we bet you can’t.

• 2014 marked the birth of Hotel Zed, the rebel in the family.

• To generate interest and support couples everywhere, Accent Inns launches the “Nooner” at Hotel Zed, confirming that it is exactly what you think it is.

• 2016 sees the company’s second Kelowna location open – Hotel Zed Kelowna. This brings the total number of Accent Inns-owned properties to seven, or the addition of one property for close to every four years of being in business.

Accent Inns likes to describe themselves as not your typical, stuffy hotel chain. Yes, they have modern, clean rooms, but they will also tell you where to go (in a good way). They will give you the down low on where the locals hang – the hot spots for shopping, dining and hitting the town.

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the social scene

people places events

PHOTOS BY B R U C E S T O T E S B U RY and DARREN STONE •

University of Victoria business dean Saul Klein welcomes Linda Hasenfratz, chief executive of Linamar Corp., to a gala event honouring Hasenfratz as the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business 2016 Distinguished Entrepreneur of the

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Year at the Victoria Conference Centre. Hasenfratz runs Linamar, a Guelph, Ont.-based automotive and industrial parts company with 57 manufacturing plants around the world and 24,000 employees.

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LEFT Al

Hasham with Rayyann and Rahim Khudabux share the love before Le Diner en Blanc that attracted more than 1,700 guests at the Delta Ocean Pointe Hotel and Resort.

ABOVE Hayley Van Nerun, Aidan Henry and Sandi and Scott Piercy looking pristine at the Diner en Blanc event.

The Dazzlers, a band made up of several local high school music teachers, rock the stage during the Music in Memorial Park celebration in Esquimalt.

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Devi and Robert Jawl were out to play at Power to Golf, a charity fundraiser for Power to Be adventure therapy at the Cordova Bay Golf Course.

Fringe Festival Jamboree guest producer Katt Campbell, Girl Guides mascot Monica Ogden and Fringe pop-up museum curator Megan Quigley in Market Square to kick off the popular theatre festival.

Northwest Deuce Days volunteers Gary Kirk, Lloyd Houston and Phil Henry help marshall the record crowds and more than 1,100 classic cars visiting Victoria from across Canada and the U.S.

Nicole Portmann, owner-operator of Cold Gold, displays her line of jewelry and home decor crafted from concrete at the Ogden Point Barge Pop-Up Market.

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Borgy Borgerson on the banjo leads the Dixieland Express during Northwest Deuce Days.

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Loyal supporters Patti Caruso and Sue Brown launch the UNO Festival at a VIP reception.

Nathan Rice performs a welcome song with the Songhees Nation’s Lekwungen Traditional Dancers as the Clipper and the Songhees launch the Songhees Seafood and Steam food truck at the Clipper ferry terminal

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Carmela and Mel Cooper and Jane Danzo help to kick off JazzFest 2016.

Patrick Sauriol, executive director of DigiBC, and Charles Lavigne, CEO of LlamaZOO, take part in the Digi B.C. High Tech gathering at the Victoria Conference Centre.

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“We are the largest manufacturer of windows on Vancouver Island. We provide factory-to-you prices.”

– Linda Gourlay, General Manager

We install sun tunnels, sky lights and entry doors.

We manufacture and install patio doors too!

P: 250.383.7128 | VISIT OUR SHOWROOM - 404 HILLSIDE AVE. | VANISLEWINDOWS.COM 64

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Appreciation of the rural arts (or why I love country fairs)

JACK KNOX

It’s autumn. Time for Victorians to store away their summer clothes (Lululemon capris, fleece vest) and, with a sigh of resignation, haul out the winter wear (full-length Lulus, slightly thicker fleece vest).

But wait! There’s still something to celebrate at this time of year: the traditional Canadian fall fair.

Country fairs aren’t something you necessarily associate with Victoria. Agriculture does not dominate the capital in the manner of its largest economic drivers (government, tourism, high-tech, yoga instruction). When we do turn to farming, our crops tend to be grown in basements, hydroponically.

Yet the region does have some great post-harvest events. This year, Victorians could flock (as it were) to the sheep-shearing at Metchosin Day, the draft-horse log skid at the 149th Saanich Fair or the blacksmithing at the Luxton Fall Fair (a relative puppy at 106 years old). Those willing to wander upIsland could take in the Bamfield Fungus Festival.

What’s not to love about a fair? Cow-patty bingo! Zucchini races! Silkie chickens that look like Rod Stewart in his disco phase! Massive pumpkins the size and colour of Donald Trump’s head!

A personal favourite is found west of Sooke, where Shirley Day (that’s a fair, not a person) has a pie-eating contest, a perfect marriage of my two greatest passions: spectator sports and pastry.

You can see why fall fairs, the Olympics of the 4-H world, are taken seriously by those who practise the rural arts. With backroads bragging rights on the line, baking and canning competitions are adjudicated as rigorously as the blind wine-tastings of France.

(I have previously told the tale of my friend Debi Dempsey, who was awarded the secondplace ribbon in a pickle-making contest in which she was the only entrant. Asked about this curious result, the judge replied: “They

just didn’t have first-place taste. They were second-place pickles.” True story.)

For urbanites, the fairs’ attraction is different. They harken back to a simpler time, when a man’s handshake was his bond and a neighbour could be counted on if a barn needed raising or a nosy government agent had to be buried under a granary. Country exhibitions are a way to return to our roots — though, being Victoria, we insist that the roots be organic, fair trade and non-GMO. We also frown on certain fair activities that used to be seen as fun but are now — like the aging uncle who tells off-colour jokes at a wedding — deemed inappropriate. Victoria put the spurs to its last rodeo a couple of years ago. You don’t see chicken-plucking races anymore. Ditto for kissing booths (particularly not at Merville’s Garlic Festival). Saturna Island’s Canada Day lamb barbecue no longer features a pig-diapering competition. The editor of this magazine comes from a Saskatchewan farming community where fair-goers could pay to guess the weight of the fattest guy in town.

Some suggest city folk should forget the nostalgia for a way of life they never knew and, instead, stage modern fairs that reflect their own particular, urban skills: parallel parking, dodging sidewalk texters, avoiding eye contact with panhandlers. You could still have a pie-eating contest, but it would involve the McDonald’s drive-through.

Young people could be encouraged to raise venture capital, not livestock. Instead of dairy cattle, business travellers would demonstrate their prowess at milking an expense account.

Needlepoint out, needle exchange in. An entire subset of competitions could revolve around the acquisition, use and retention of umbrellas. (I know a man who, at the first sign of rain, declares “There it is!” and grabs any brolly lurking near the restaurant door.)

Something to ponder as summer gives way to fall, as fair weather gives way to fair weather.

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PARTING SHOT THE WONDER OF WHISKY

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BY DARREN STONE Whisky is a hands-on business for Graeme Macaloney, founder of Macaloney Distillers, which recently opened the Victoria Caledonian Brewery and Distillery on Enterprise Crescent in Saanich. The 17,000-square-foot distillery, which also houses a brewery and gift shop, offers guided tours, tastings and a chance for whisky lovers to design their own dram.

The Scottish bard Robert Burns believed freedom and whisky went together, and Caledonian intends to extend that freedom to clients who wish to design and choose their drink — for a price. For $4,800, whisky aficionados are given a choice of wood cask and spirit to create a whisky that suits their particular taste. They end up with a 30-litre cask of the designer spirit.

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